EDITOR Christopher Barrett
JUNIOR NEWS REPORTER Joe Gallop
DIGITAL & COMMUNITY EDITOR Cameron Roberts
SALES DIRECTOR James Linin
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Sabrina Boucher
SALES MANAGER Joanne Knowles
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Robert Fletcher
PAGE PRODUCTION PA Media
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Duncan Siegle
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After nearly two years of Covid-19 , Omicron was the last thing anyone wanted for Christmas , not least the events industry . The impact of the variant on consumer confidence has been significant , and attendance and tickets sales have suffered as a result , but there is room for considerable optimism ahead of what should be a landmark year for our industry .
As I write this , the daily cases of Covid-19 are down nearly 60,000 week-on-week , and the Government has signalled its intention to phase out England ’ s remaining Plan B restrictions in the coming weeks .
In this first issue of 2022 , we welcome in the new year by canvassing the opinions of industry leaders ( p18 ), from festival and mass sporting event operators to production companies , venue managers and industry association heads .
I am not alone in thinking the Government must work to manage Covid-19 , and not let it continue to manage us , by developing a long-term strategy for dealing with coronavirus variants that better enables the events industry to plan with certainty for an uninterrupted trading period .
Supply chain issues remain a major challenge , not least the soaring cost and reduced availability of kit and crew , but our industry has never been more united and that more collaborative approach is going to be key as we work to rebuild and strengthen our sector .
The pandemic has not only seen the industry unite to communicate collectively in a more coherent way , it has also allowed more time to focus on creating a united approach to becoming a more sustainable sector . The next step should be an industry-wide focus on creating initiatives that persuade the brightest and best workers to re-join our industry , while making sure it is also an attractive proposition for newcomers .
Christopher Barrett , Editor
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