Events News Roundup February 2021

The Ops Nest’s ‘Big Green Book of Little Green Ideas’

The Ops Nest's online guide is set to be released in April as a free resource offering sustainability solutions for all in the events industry. It will be touching on topics including travel, venue choice and waste management in an effort to reduce the industries environmental footprint. The sustainability of the industry has been a growing topic for years, yet little has been achieved. This is hopefully an actionable and measurable solution for the industry to come together and make a change.

A Light at the End of the Tunnel for the Events Industry as Covid Safe Measures are Set to be Trialed

As the country prepares to start moving out of lockdown, the events and exhibitions industry has started planning possible solutions for the return of event goers in a safe and secure way.

The 100 Club in London and Bristol’s 250 capacity Exchange are set to trial the You Check Health Passport app as a means of safely reopening UK music venues. The app works with the Music Venue Trust and was approved for trial by the DCMS. After beginning early development in 2019 as a ticket/ID system aimed to combat secondary ticketing, You Check quickly adapted their purpose within the context of the pandemic.

Chester Racecourse has taken a different approach, announcing that they are set to trial mass testing along with social distancing measures as means for 5000 racegoers to attend the Boodles Festival in May. They have developed a “sector leading mass lateral flow testing program,” which involves every attendee taking a test upon arrival and receiving results within 20 minutes. There will be three separate testing sites and each attendee will be allocated a specific site and test time, allowing 1800 lateral flow tests to take place every hour at the course.

EIA Calls for Support Package and Clear Road Map for Reopening the UK Exhibitions Sector

The Events Industry Alliance is calling on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to implement a targeted short term support package for the UK exhibitions sector and a clear road map to reopening the sector in a Covid-secure way once restrictions start to ease. Included in this, they have asked for an extension of the furlough scheme by 12 months for sectors facing ongoing restrictions, a government backed insurance indemnity scheme and a £225m Event and Exhibitions Recovery Fund.

EventWell Encourages PositiviTEA

The charity EventWell, focused on reducing the impact on mental health specifically in the Industry has launched the movement and commitment ‘PositiviTEA.’ They are encouraging companies to host a virtual afternoon tea or virtual games night on Event Wellbeing day, taking place on Wednesday 3^rd March. The movement allows for something fun and sociable to brighten spirits during the pandemic while encouraging companies to raise money in the process for the cause.