Dear Members,
The following is a very short update and summary on behalf of the National Outdoor Events Association, as an attempt to share with our members the current situation with COVID 19.
Please understand that the situation is constantly changing, and we will try and pass on relevant, checked and authoritative advice where we have it.
In the meantime, please do keep passing on your own updates and we will share were relevant. We thank everyone for their help so far
Holding Statement
The below is a statement we issued two weeks ago in advance of the pandemic landing on these shores. The statement has been used across the industry, through consumer media, and has been sent to government through our colleagues at the BVEP (Business Visits & Events Partnership) and the (EIB) Events Industry Board.
These two organisations are highly engaged with government and we are playing our part, alongside our colleagues at the EIF, to make the position of the outdoor events industry heard.
“Any nationwide pandemic will have serious consequences for the outdoor event industry. The Foot & Mouth crisis back in 2001 lead to mass cancellation of events and decimated the industry, and many businesses will be concerned that the spread of the Coronavirus will have the same impact.
“However, it is worth putting on record that the businesses and individuals within NOEA’s membership are part of our association because they are committed to doing business ethically and responsibly. As an industry we will make sure that we support the authorities; be they environmental, security, bio-security, or local authority, to ensure a proportional response to any issue is managed. As always though, putting the safety of the millions of people, both living and visiting the UK, who come to outdoor events across the country first.”
Government Liaison
Since we released the above, we have supported the continued dialogue between government and the events industry and are fighting hard for support, and to ensure a measured response from local and national authorities
NOEA members can help these dialogues by:
1. Signing the events industry petition that has been circulated already: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301186
This will help in two ways; firstly, it will ensure that the option of economic support for the industry is bought up in parliament. Secondly, it keeps us at the top of the agenda in terms of any decision making going forward.
2. By keeping us informed of any situation that you are facing with in your own business that brings to life the consequences to our industry of the pandemic
General Tone
We have to be realistic and measured in what the above will achieve. We don’t believe anyone in this industry wants to be a part of anything that causes undue risk or harm to those attending mass participation events. We have already seen the cancelation of major sporting events, and these decisions have not been taken lightly.
What we should expect is a reasoned and thought out response from the government and within our industry itself. Where we suffer, we should also expect temporary support from government to allow businesses to get back on their feet
General Advice
In the meantime, please use your influence to pass on the simple health advice from the Centre of Disease Control, links below, and use it to educate guests at your events that are taking place
Our aim here is to position our industry as part of the solution and not the problem.
We wish all NOEA members the very best of health in this difficult time.