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Hotels to turn into temporary hospitals

The health secretary said empty hotels across the country would help ease the pressure on hospitals that are filling up with patients. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday (15 March), when asked if more hospitals should be built, he responded: “We’ve seen that many hotels are empty, so we’ve got ready-built facilities looking after people.”

On the back of this suggestion, Best Western Great Britain has said it will consider turning hotels into temporary hospitals if the NHS needs additional bed space during the coronavirus outbreak.

Rob Paterson, chief executive of Best Western Great Britain, said: “We are in unprecedented territory so we would be willing to take unprecedented steps to support the national effort.

“If the NHS wants additional bedspace, and we can partner with other companies to provide the right medical equipment and supplies and we can do it safely, then we would be willing to start having those conversations immediately. Whatever we can do to help.”

Best Western has approximately 260 hotels in Great Britain, with almost 15,000 bedrooms.

Keeping check back with EDGE Venues Insights for the latest coronavirus updates, including news on whether other hotels will consider temporary hospitals with their properties.

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Government is not advising to ban events at this stage

EDGE Venues learns that IMEX 2020 has been cancelled due to Coronavirus

Update on the coronavirus issue following today’s COBRA meeting

Following todays COBRA meeting the government is now moving to a ‘delay’ phase against coronavirus which has now been classed as a global pandemic. PM Boris Johnson has said that banning events will have little effect on containing the spread of the virus. He also commented that ” All stages we are guided by the science.”

There is not yet a national reason to distance people socially according to the Chief Medical Officer.

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Proceed, postpone or cancel?

Decisions need to be made about forthcoming events that are being organised, whether to continue as usual, postpone them until later in the year or cancel them entirely. We saw yesterday that Imex has cancelled their event in Frankfurt in May. So, with the spread of Coronavirus, how should you come to a decision how to proceed in the next few months?

The first consideration is to make an informed decision, based on facts. We work in a collaborative and supportive industry and everyone understands the value of the global events industry. The most important factor is making a choice that is best for the business and whether the company’s objectives can be met without the event or if there is reduced attendance. What is the event’s purpose and what are the alternatives? Once this decision has been made, then the legal and insurance factors come in to play, but these should not be the driving factor whether the event should go ahead.

Force Majeure

The question is whether damages have to be paid if the conference is cancelled. So, does Force Majeure apply? It does if the event is illegal, impossible or commercially impracticable to hold. A recent example is a law passed by the Swiss government prohibiting public events of more than 1,000 people which caused the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show. Some other considerations are if the city/country is in a state of emergency, flights have been suspended or travel has been prohibited. Fear is not force majeure.

Cancellation or postponement

Establish the critical mass of attendance for the purpose of the event to be successful. If 10% of attendees cannot be there it probably won’t have a significant impact, but if 30% or more don’t attend then that’s a different situation. Set a date when the decision will be made whether to proceed or not, considering travel arrangements, event set up, suppliers etc and make a well-thought-out business decision.

Contracts

Check all contracts: venues, DMCs, a/v providers, caterers, other suppliers, as well as attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. Is there an event cancellation policy in place and what will this mean? Take advice about whether the force majeure provisions apply, your legal team can argue about cancellation and attrition fees. It’s in everyone’s interest to proceed with the event, so if numbers are reduced then speak to the venue about minimum attendee numbers, accommodation and the spend on food and beverage because it is in everyone’s interest to negotiate. If there’s a new agreement make sure you have an addendum signed by both parties. If additional hygiene practices are required, find out what the venue is going to put in place and get these agreed in writing.

Insurance

There are two factors here. Firstly, the event insurance, check your general liability insurance, which should cover you if an attendee becomes ill at an event and have a claim against your company. Does this specifically cover COVID-19? Some insurance companies excluded COVID-19 from their policies since January 2020 as it became more prevalent. Secondly, there is business travel insurance which may come into effect if a company imposes travel restrictions to their employees.

Crisis Management and Communication

There should already be a plan in place and even if it isn’t entirely appropriate to the current circumstances, then elements may help to manage the situation.

Communicate with the stakeholders separately and stick to the facts. Keep the message simple and clear. If you are proceeding, then tell people about the hygiene practices onsite and how the event will be managed. Update any statements as necessary before and during the event.

This article does not constitute legal advice and we advise organisers to take independent legal guidance which is appropriate to their circumstances. This article is not intended to be relied upon to make specific decisions.

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IMEX Frankfurt 2020 is cancelled

EDGE Venues learns that IMEX 2020 has been cancelled due to Coronavirus

Events industry affected by Coronavirus – Major industry trade show cancelled.

EDGE Venues has just been made aware that IMEX Frankfurt 2020 has been cancelled which has resulted in the events industry again being affected by Coronavirus. This is a disappointing blow to the events industry and we would like to express our heartfelt thoughts to the IMEX team.

The IMEX event is a major industry trade show that brings together our industry to network and generate business. It is a great shame that this event has now been cancelled.

Jacqui Kavanagh, CEO of Trinity EDGE Holdings Ltd comments, “The cancellation of any event is very sad news. These events are business-critical as our professional industry needs to network, discover new products and ideas and build relationships.

Our industry is a community that supports our clients in an everchanging world. Meetings and events, whether local, regional or global are a point of change delivering a positive impact, return on investment and a return on business. It is of great sadness that this key event delivering into our industry has been cancelled.”

EDGE Venues will continue to publish articles on the coronavirus situation and how this affects the event industry. Daily articles are published which can be read here.

If you would like to contact us regarding this subject or any other articles we have published our contact details can be found here.

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Carton House to rebrand under Accor’s Fairmont portfolio

The four-star Carton House in Co Kildare is to rebrand to become part of Accor’s Fairmont portfolio.

The hotel will now undergo a complete refurbishment before being unveiled as Fairmont Carton House later this year. 

Once the multi-million pound renovation is complete, Carton House, originally built in 1739, will be home to 170 bedrooms and suites, in addition to its two 18-hole championship golf courses.

The property is owned by the Belmullet Hospitality Group, controlled by Irish American businessman John Mullen, who said the rebrand will help ‘elevate’ the hotel’s reputation.

“Carton House is one of Ireland’s most significant landmarks, and we are excited to have Fairmont, one of the most prestigious hotel brands, to work with us to elevate the hotel to its rightful place in Irish hospitality,” Mullen said.

“The signing of Fairmont Carton House reflects our expertise in the luxury segment and reinforces our commitment to growing our luxury offering across the UK and Ireland, ” said Thomas Dubaere, chief operating officer of Accor Northern Europe.

Across its global portfolio Fairmont has more than 75 hotels.

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Cheltenham Racecourse tackles coronavirus

The Cheltenham Festival is one of sports most popular events of the year, attracting more than a quarter of a million people over the 4-day event.

Prior to the event, which starts today, there was mounting uncertainty due to the coronavirus, and the pressure to cancel following suspensions of large events in other countries. However, with the Public Health England advising that there is no requirement for the UK to ban large scale events it has gone ahead and is defying the coronavirus fears.

Instead of cancelling, which unfortunately other smaller events are doing – despite the governments’ advice to continue with holding events, Cheltenham Festival have instead issued pre-event communications to reassure attendees of the precautions and additional measures that will be in place. Cheltenham racecourse has increased the number of facilities available to racegoers such as washbasins and toilet facilities along with ensuring hand sanitiser will be readily available and paper towels. They have also increased the number of staff to ensure soap and drying facilities are constantly available.

According to The Racing Post, there will also be posters around the racecourse which will demonstrate the latest public health advice.

In the lead up to the event, advice was issued to those that have recently visited certain foreign destinations advising them to stay away from the event if they were displaying symptoms.

Ian Renton, regional director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “We’re working closely with the Department of Health to maximise hygiene facilities at the course. “We are looking to improve it where we can and hygiene is at the centre of what we are doing.”

As the coronavirus situation changes daily and many people are still unsure what is going to happen over the coming days and weeks, we should look at cases such as the Cheltenham Festival to gain confidence on how large scale events can still go ahead and be managed appropriately. The additional resources and procedures that are being put in place can be followed for smaller events and communication is key both before and during the events.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that events such as Cheltenham should go ahead as planned despite cancellations and postponements being made public in other European countries. ‘We are guided by the facts and we are guided by the evidence. At the moment the advice is clear from the chief medical officer: there isn’t a need to cancel such events.’

These events are essential to millions of businesses worldwide providing platforms for people to network, engage and conduct business. The Cheltenham Festival is expected to attract around 70,000 people which will contribute to the economy and many businesses including in the supply chain are reliant on these types of events going ahead.

As a venue procurement platform, we are committed to encouraging these events to continue in times of disruption and will keep sharing positive case studies and information to our audiences.

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Coronavirus risks long term damage to the events industry

The rapid spread of coronavirus around the world is taking its toll on the events industry and the vast supply chain that supports it. The virus is presenting the industry with an unprecedented global challenge that could be longer lasting than the lifespan of the virus itself.

As the number of coronavirus cases climbs around the world, event organisers face the risk that the disruption will last for several months with people being overcautious to attend future events and the knock-on effect of events that have recently been cancelled.

At this point, it’s hard to know how fast it will spread or what the accurate fatality rate is so we can only learn as the situation develops. With the unknown, it therefore becomes very difficult to predict what the impact of the coronavirus outbreak will be but within the events industry. We are already experiencing consequences that will undoubtedly have a long term effect on certain businesses with the fear that a number will not be able to survive.

Public transport more likely to be a source of transmission than any events

The UK events industry is worth £43 billion and is suffering from many attendees or event organisers either postponing or cancelling outright, which goes against the advice that has been published. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Van-Tam has stated that ‘There will be no ban on live events and other large-scale mass gatherings across the UK in the near future.’ He also adds that with the virus having a small radius of infection of two metres, pubs and public transport are more likely to be a source of transmission than any events.

Cancelling events will not only have a devastating impact on the supply chain but also on the local and wider economy. The current situation which is panic-driven rather than fact-driven is creating a negative impact on the industry and must be taking a toll on the mental wellbeing of all staff involved.

The events industry should set a positive example and not overreact

As an industry that is at the forefront of public and media attention, we should be setting a positive example in light of the coronavirus outbreak and not overreact. We have a duty of care to look after the large supply chain connected to the industry and until there is evidence or guidance stating events should be cancelled, we should continue with planned events.

Martin Fullard of Mash Media recently told the BBC cancelling events should be a last resort. He also commented that “The events industry is famously resilient and that through collaboration it has a duty to look after its supply chain, which in some cases could see businesses losing out.”

For more articles around the Coronavirus, including top tips for event organisers, check out our industry insights.

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International Womens Day celebrated by all-female board of directors

EDGE Venues and Trinity Event Solutions based in Stamford, Lincolnshire will be celebrating International Women’s Day on Sunday 8th March. They will continue their commitment to value diversity and inclusion and lead the way in the events industry when it comes to attracting and retaining female employees.

Trinity Event Solutions Ltd was formed in 2006 – a specialist venue procurement agency offering expert industry knowledge to deliver volume venue sourcing for creative conferences and meetings. The company delivers over 4,500 events each year into the global events and venue market. EDGE Venues was launched in December 2018 and is the brainchild of the Trinity Event Solutions’ team. It is an online digital portal which supports Corporates, Associations and Agency buyers to search and procure venues for their event programmes worldwide.

The Board of Directors overseeing both companies are an all-female operation and the senior management team has a majority of female employees. Both companies also enjoy a diverse group of employees spanning different ethnicities, ages and backgrounds.

The teams are working collaboratively to push the brand forward in a competitive and fast-paced industry. The company have an inclusive and encouraging management philosophy where all ideas are listened to and the underlying success of the brands originates from product strength, a relentless focus on customer relationships and above all a strong team collaboration.

CEO of Trinity Event Holdings, the parent company of EDGE Venues and Trinity Event Solutions, Jacqui Kavanagh looks at how perceptions of women within the workplace have changed and encourages others to chase their dreams.

“The events industry is one of the most exciting and innovative marketplaces in the world and we have the privilege of affecting every industry from the complex to the bizarre.

When I set up Trinity back in 2006, our female senior management team happened by coincidence! But I couldn’t be happier with my team. The sheer determination and ability to work as an effective team has progressed the company in such a determined and fast-paced way. I would encourage any women to educate themselves, follow their dreams and become part of a supportive workforce that will push you to develop professionally to your highest ability.”

Both EDGE Venues and Trinity Event Solutions will continue to develop the talents of their teams and push ahead to drive the businesses towards becoming the market leaders in venue procurement.

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EDGE Venues is opening the doors for its EDGE EXPO

Join us at our EDGE EXPO to see what we’re all about and why the EDGE Venues platform is the right platform to advertise your venue on globally. Let us show you how to maximise your business opportunity and what exciting developments are in store for 2020.

Spaces are still available on the 13th, 17th or 19th March for our FREE 2020 EDGE Expo Event held at our offices in Stamford. There will be an exclusive offer available on the day for those venues that wish to upgrade. We’ll be holding sales and marketing presentations and offering the chance to meet the team and ask any questions.

All attendees will be able to take away a free copy of the Business Intelligence Review which is worth £1,500. Want to know more?

Click here to go straight to our event booking page.

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The Meetings Show pledge to tackle food waste

With the help of WRAP’s Guardians of Grub resources, The Meetings Show will be encouraging its exhibitors and event buyers to help cut food waste and take sustainability seriously.

WRAP’s Guardians of Grub campaign aims to tackle the £3.2 billion worth of food wasted each year across the entire hospitality and foodservice sector and aligns with the Courtauld Commitment 2025 and the Mayor of London’s objectives that were outlined in his London Environment Strategy.

As well as tackling food waste, organisers working for parent company Northstar Meetings Group, will continue to challenge suppliers to further increase the use of recyclable and reusable products at the show while educating and encouraging exhibitors not to bring single-use plastic promotional materials and paper onsite.

Part of its 40 hours of free educational sessions will continue to help address the 1.1 million tonnes of food that the UK’s hospitality and foodservice sector throws away each year, 75% of which could have been eaten.

Jack Marczewski, Northstar Meetings Group’s Event Director, said: “Since our first show in 2013, we have been making great strides to further minimise our environmental impact. All of our floor covering is recycled with 50% being reintegrated by our supplier, for example. Yet, we can always do more, not only to help minimise the impact of the show, but also continue to play our part in educating and raising awareness of the tools and resources that are available by providing a stage for the industry to share best practice.”

The announcement has been welcomed by The Meetings Show host venue Olympia London.

Abbey Short, Catering Manager at Olympia London, said: “We are proud of the progress we have made so far with WRAP’s help, having already reduced annual food waste by 17%, since signing up to Guardians of Grub in September 2019. This has also helped increase our overall waste recycling rate to over 98%. Our commitment to eradicating food waste continues; we shall continue to engage with our clients, visitors and colleagues to understand behaviours and work collaboratively until we can say we are a ‘zero food waste’, in addition to a ‘zero to landfill’ venue.”

The capital’s international promotional agency, London & Partners, similarly welcomed the news as it has been working alongside the Mayor of London, WRAP and event tourism organisations, such as The Meetings Show to focus efforts on its key city targets.

Paul Black, Head of Business Events at London & Partners, said: “We are delighted that Olympia London and The Meetings Show are demonstrating strong commitment and action to reducing food waste working with WRAP at this year’s show and other events. The Mayor of London 2018 Environmental Plan has set out clear city targets to achieve in the coming years and the event industry has a fundamental role to play by convening the key people and companies necessary to take positive and immediate action”

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues said: “We’re delighted to see The Meetings Show joining the fight to reduce food waste. We estimate that food waste, including food packaging, makes up around 30 per cent of London’s municipal waste. The Mayor has set strong targets in his Environment strategy to cut food waste by 50 per cent by 2030.

“Through our London Business Climate Leaders programme we’ve worked with major businesses to help them become more sustainable and cut emissions. It’s great to see the capital’s events and hospitality sectors are joining us to tackle this challenge.”

Marcus Gover, CEO of WRAP, said: “We will not tackle the impact of global warming if we don’t fix the food system, and everyone needs to play their part. If everyone in the hospitality and foodservice industry put as much passion into reducing waste as they do into creating delicious food, it would make a massive difference to cutting the damage food waste is doing to our planet. Guardians of Grub provides the tools to help everyone to reduce food waste without compromising on quality, or customer experience, and save money. It’s a double win; for the environment and for business.”

Meanwhile, Northstar Meetings Group has agreed to a ‘Better Meetings, Better Future’ partnership with Positive Impact and will be looking to introduce similar pledges across its portfolio of events. The company produces more than 80 face-to-face events in 13 countries in retail travel, hospitality, corporate travel, travel technology, sports travel, and the meetings and incentive industry.

For more information about The Meetings Show, visit www.themeetingsshow.com. EDGE Venues will exhibiting – make sure you pop by our stand to say hello!