It’s been a difficult week for the events industry as the easing of lockdown was delayed. For those in the hospitality and events industry this was a major blow, not least of all in knocking the confidence of those looking to book summer events.
The furlough scheme is still in place but sector sales are down by 42% and it has been estimated that this latest delay will cost the industry a further £3 billion as well as having a knock on effect on events into the summer and possibly into the autumn. In addition, there is a danger that illegal and unrestricted events take place behind closed doors as people become frustrated with ongoing lockdown measures. Perhaps in this respect the Government should consider easing restrictions sooner rather than later so that they can at least be risk assessed and managed safely.
Whilst the UK jobs market is showing signs of recovery with unemployment falling from 4.8% to 4.7% in the three months to April, unemployment remains high in hospitality and some employers are facing a recruitment crisis as staff move into other sectors.
However, it’s not all negative – Government pilot events are continuing including Euro 2020 games, festivals and other sporting events, with positive results reported so far. In addition the vaccination programme is on track with 42 million people now having received at least one dose to date. The Government aims to offer vaccinations to all adults by mid-July and claims that this will be vital in the further easing of restrictions.
So, let’s hope that the Prime Minister’s determination to ease restriction on 19th July goes someway to restoring confidence and the hospitality and events sector at last has time to catch its breath and begin to rebuild.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the delay and how your business is adapting, as well as your thoughts on the future. Let us know on our social media pages and hopefully, in the next month, we will indeed be reporting on an exciting return to a late summer and early autumn of corporate events.