GREEN
SHOOTS?
The events industry is full of
adaptable individuals and
businesses. However, with the
world effectively on pause there is
little to adapt to beyond
uncertainty. There is no denying
bookings and inquiries have fallen
off a cliff edge, but are we
beginning to see signs of positive
change? A number of different
event businesses report that they
are seeing the green shoots of a
return. At this stage, inquiries and
potential bookings are enough to
instill a modicum of confidence.
Some businesses have even
brought in new staff. Venue-finding
agency Conference Care recently
brought in a new sales director,
Mark Upham, who CEO Chris
Peacock believes is the right man
to take the business forward. But
what does business look like; is
there any sign that it is picking up
again? “We are seeing some new
business coming through, mostly
for 2021, and which are smaller
events [lower than 80],” says
Peacock. “We were looking at a
three-month window for those
29
Martin Fullard
speaks to agencies
and venues
about the early
signs of a return
to business
bookings. Are we going to come
back stronger in full force? I
think it is going to be more
protracted.”
Peacock says when business
returns it is not going to be like
pushing a button. “It will be like
starting up a business again,” he
says. “At the beginning of the
financial year we had £50m
booked, and now that’s under a
million.
“Fortunately, we are in a good
position. We had a great year last
year with plenty of growth. We
came into it better prepared than
a lot of others. I think as an
organisation we deliberately didn’t
react too early.”
The hot topic has been the
relationship between agencies
(and organisers) and venues. How
has Peacock noted the attitude of
venues with regards to keeping
business alive? “There have been
postponements into the last
quarter of this calendar year, and
despite some resistance, into the
first quarter of 2021 too,” he says.
“Venues were less willing to
“We are
seeing
some new
business
coming
through,
mostly for
2021”
Chris Peacock, CEO,
Conference Care
www.conference-news.co.uk
Business Report
accept that
at first, but they
are showing more flexibility now
[four weeks later]. There were
those sticking to contract terms
completely, which is their
prerogative, but we’ve seen a
massive softening of that, with
more willing to talk outside of the
contract. Venues realise the
negative impact of any PR about
sticking to that and showing no
flexibility which in this climate
doesn’t go down very well.”
Alicia Duncan is the venue
director at The Mermaid, London,
and she notes that they have seen
a 70% decline in business for the
second half of 2020. Despite that,
however, Duncan notes the venue
has received a positive number of
inquiries. “We are currently
working on 18 new inquiries, all of
which are for more than 200
delegates,” she says. “We are also
still busy liaising with a number of
event organisers who had
enquired ahead of the lockdown.
We are starting to see more
positivity towards the end of
2020, with more organisers
booking events for Q4.”
North West-based agency Make
Events also reports murmurs of
business activity. Holly Moore, the
agency’s founder and CEO, says
they have not shut up shop
completely. “We are still buying,
but not at the rate we were. We
have a conference in November
that confirmed just prior to the
lockdown and we will be securing
the hotel, conference venue,
after-party venue and event app in
the next week [Early April],
including paying deposits.”
The industry may certainly be
on pause from the outside, but on
the inside, it is readying itself for
happier times.