Exhibition News December 2020 | Page 22

Cover Feature
impression to exhibitors that show organisers are in financial trouble .
They simply want to be allowed to run their exhibitions so they are more interested in the measures that will allow them to open , such as government underwritten insurance policies and rapid testing - both of which Skeith says are also being lobbied for .
# THE VIEW FROM THE BACK BENCHES
When I spoke to MPs at the end of September it was depressing to hear that the events sector was considered late to the party and that very little “ cut-through ” to government had been achieved . Concerted efforts by the EIA and many key figures have now finally started to move the dial .
Robert Largan , Conservative MP for High Peak is one of a handful of MPs who has taken the time to understand the events sector . “ It ’ s been quite noticeable in the last few weeks with half a dozen MPs raising questions in the House about the events sector ,” he observes . “ However , there is still a lack of awareness from MPs in general about just how central business events and exhibitions are for a lot of businesses as this is where a huge part of their order book gets filled up . For a lot of MPs , their only experience is their own party conference and they don ’ t understand how big the footprint is . There also needs to be greater awareness that there is a big difference between business events and cultural exhibitions ”.
Due to this lack of understanding , Largan believes that two things need to be done better : “ You need more advocacy . My constituents are suffering because they can ’ t exhibit at events but most of these are small companies . You need more companies to weigh in – both Blue Chip and SME ’ s - so that MPs are more aware of how many businesses rely on the sector . You must also have a clear message about what is needed . The main reason why hospitality has been more successful is because they have clear messages that have been hammered home .”
# THE HOSPITALITY PINCER M O V E M E N T
The hospitality sector , although the victim of the 10pm curfew and the three tier system , was very quick off the blocks and managed to get itself in front of government at the right time . The trade association UK Hospitality represents hotels , bars , pubs , coffee shops , and nightclubs .
CEO Kate Nicholls explains how it managed to get cut through in a way that the events sector hasn ’ t . “ The reality is that it does take persistent , relentless lobbying to find your fair share of voice ,” she says . “ There isn ’ t really a quick fix to finding cut-through with Westminster or with the media . You need to apply pressure pretty ruthlessly and
“ IT FELT LIKE OUR INDUSTRY WAS HOLDING HANDS , SOBBING IN A BASEMENT AND WAITING FOR IT ALL TO BLOW OVER .”
there can ’ t be a second where you are not pushing the needs of your members with policy-makers . When things are difficult for the sector you have to ram it down the throat of politicians and make sure they have no excuse for not knowing .”
Nicholls does concede that it ’ s easier for hospitality to get resonance .
She says : “ We are perhaps fortunate in that it is relatively easy for us to communicate the value of hospitality beyond simple economics . If a local pub closes , the economic impact might be relatively minimal , but that closure resonates with people . That means a vital community , possibly historic community hub has now been taken away from people . It ’ s much more difficult to make people understand the events industry in that frame of mind .”
Despite UK Hospitality ’ s position , Jonathan Downey , CEO of London Union and a highly influential voice in hospitality believed that the independent operators wouldn ’ t be properly represented in the fight that he saw coming .
“ At the beginning there was no-one speaking up – it felt like our industry was holding hands , sobbing in a basement and waiting for it all to blow over . You need people to step up and speak out and my job was to be the initial leader in inspiring people to do that ”
Downey created Hospitality Union on 16 March , a few hours before Boris asked everyone to “ stay away from restaurants and pubs ”. What started as a WhatsApp group of 50 contacts became a movement of more than 3,000 hospitality business owners as competitors became collaborators .
” I ’ d already started work on the six things that the industry was going to need :
• A one-year business rates holiday
• “ Time to Pay ” for VAT and NIC / PAYE payments plus a VAT holiday
• A lease forfeiture moratorium
• A six-month debt enforcement moratorium
• A £ 330 billion loan fund “ My credibility as a business operator meant that MPs started picking up on what I was saying . I have a lot of influential members in the group including major press and TV . We knew we needed simple , memorable and impactful soundbites and the list of six was visionary . We got five of the six things we were asking for . The only thing we didn ’ t get was the debt enforcement moratorium .”
How did Hospitality Union and UK Hospitality avoid
22 — December