EVENTS
Middlesbrough Digital manager Dan Watson ( left ) with fellow Tees Tech Awards organisers and Tees Business executive editors Dave Allan ( right ) and Martin Walker .
WORDS : JULIE BURNISTON PICS : CHRIS BOOTH
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Tees Tech Awards set for Wynyard Hall showcase
The Tees Tech Awards is set to be a ground-breaker as one of the first live events at the end of Covid restrictions .
Organisers Tees Business had initially planned for the second annual Tech Awards to be a virtual event following the success of the inaugural awards last August .
However , the government ’ s roadmap to post-Covid normality has resulted in a change of heart , with the awards now set to take place in Wynyard Hall ’ s Grand Marquee on the evening of Thursday July 1 .
It means the Tees Tech Awards are likely to be one of the first events to take place following the planned lifting of restrictions , scheduled to be no sooner than June 21 .
In an added twist , the Tees Business organisers promise the event will also be streamed live on YouTube , giving those who prefer not to attend an opportunity to watch from home .
And the awards will revert to virtual plans if the government ’ s roadmap does not stay on course .
Dave Allan , co-director of Tees Business owners Resolution Media and Publishing , said : “ We ’ re incredibly excited that the Tech Awards will now be at the forefront of the much-awaited return to normality .
“ The Tech Awards , which we organise in partnership with DigitalCity and Middlesbrough Digital , were previously going to be held virtually on May 27 with all presentations made virtually via a series of Zoom calls to the finalists .
“ But the government ’ s roadmap from lockdown means it was sensible to reconsider our plans . Rather than being one of the last to hold a virtual event , we will now be one of the first to return to ‘ real ’ events post-lockdown .
“ Naturally our plans are subject to the roadmap remaining on course . If there are setbacks to the government ’ s roadmap , then we will return to a virtual event as originally planned but on our new date of
Middlesbrough Digital manager Dan Watson
July 1 .”
Fellow director Martin Walker added : “ We plan to film the awards and stream them live on YouTube , allowing many who can ’ t be there to enjoy the live experience and excitement .
“ While we do , of course , hope that plenty of people will join us at the event , the live streaming element does mean that people can watch from home or elsewhere if they prefer .
“ We ’ re grateful for the support of our headline sponsors DigitalCity and Middlesbrough Digital for this exciting change of plan , which we believe is something the digital sector will truly look forward to .”
For more details , please email info @ teesbusiness . co . uk or call sales manager Chris Garbutt on 01642 450255 .
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