Government urged to allow
temporary venue at Earls Court
The Earl’s Court Area Action Group has called on
the government to bring forward a temporary
venue on the Earl’s Court Masterplan site to help
rebuild the UK’s economy post Covid-19 and
provide additional large event space in London.
In letters to the prime minister Boris Johnson,
the chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak and
the minister for tourism, Nigel Huddleston MP,
the Earl’s Court Area Action Group calls for a
temporary, multi-purpose exhibition and events
space to be built on the empty Earl’s Court
Masterplan site as a matter of urgency.
The new site owners, Dutch pension group
APG, Delancey and their joint venture partner
Transport for London (TfL) have yet to bring plans
forward for the site and ensuring ‘meanwhile
use’. The site was previously owned by Capco
and was marked for property development, but
that has never materialised.
The closure of Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre
has led to the loss of 30% of London’s exhibition
space and over £1.25bn annually to the national
economy.
London’s other large venues have joined the
national effort to combat Covid-19, with ExCeL
currently an NHS Nightingale hospital, and
Olympia currently operating as a food bank.
Hughes takes over BVEP,
new committee formed
The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) the
umbrella body and advocacy group for the UK’s £70bn
events industry, has approved Simon Hughes to be its
new chair, 21 May.
Hughes, previously vice chair of the BVEP, replaces
Michael Hirst OBE, who has served as its chair since the
partnerships formation in 1999 and who will continue to
chair the UK Events Industry Board and will join the
partnership’s new executive committee.
On his appointment, Hughes said: “It is a real privilege
to pick up the BVEP baton from Michael and I’m very
grateful for the support and commitment shown by all of
our partners. The obvious challenges we all face at the
moment means that collaboration, clear communication
and a relentless focus on ensuring that our collective
voice is both heard and acted upon is now more
important than ever.”
At a meeting, 21 May, the partnership also voted to
create a new executive committee, to help develop and
drive the future strategy of the BVEP, which will consist of
Chris Skeith, treasurer; Caroline Jackson, membership;
Nick Morgan, commercial & sponsorship and Michael
Hirst, immediate past chair.
9
News
Transport
secretary Grant
Shapps said that
as part of the
Northern
Powerhouse
project, £96m of
rail upgrades
were carried out
over Easter.
Meet the freelancers looking
for new opportunities.
Turn to page 36.
www.conference-news.co.uk
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