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Exhibition cancellations (not much to do with that anymore!)


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On 12/07/2020 at 12:41, Tricky-CRS said:

 

Does a large marquee not just become an indoor space, with a load of added issues.

 

Like at the GCR event, not so much an uneven floor which issue has been mentioned, more like a trampoline one

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Just now, Ken.W said:

 

Like at the GCR event, not so much an uneven floor which issue has been mentioned, more like a trampoline one

or someone parking a Ice cream van outside, filling the marquee with diesel smoke at one exhibition, we were exhibiting in..

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2 hours ago, Ken.W said:

 

Like at the GCR event, not so much an uneven floor which issue has been mentioned, more like a trampoline one

I love the GCR event as a visitor and would have gone as usual this year but there is no way I would take a layout there again. Come to think of it I wouldn't take a layout to any event in marquee.

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2 hours ago, Chris M said:

I love the GCR event as a visitor and would have gone as usual this year but there is no way I would take a layout there again. Come to think of it I wouldn't take a layout to any event in marquee.

 

Did a modelmaking exhibition once in a marquee. Oddly enough, not railway modelling, military, but the marquees were installed on the old railway line to Porte d'Auteuil in Paris. It was a hot weekend and it was a torrid experience. Never again!

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42 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Did a modelmaking exhibition once in a marquee. Oddly enough, not railway modelling, military, but the marquees were installed on the old railway line to Porte d'Auteuil in Paris. It was a hot weekend and it was a torrid experience. Never again!

 At the other extreme, I took my layout to an open weekend on the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway in September a few years ago. It was a wet / cold weekend. Damp all weekend inside the marquee and the grass under foot was sodden. Not something I would want to repeat.

 

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Not sure it has been mentioned - Hull in November is also off. (see website for details - https://www.hullmrs.org/ )

 

With regard to show attendance in marquees, also one with poor experiences to date of having stands in temporary marquees. Either cold and damp or hot and stuffy, if it is grass on the floor too easy to lose anything small that gets dropped to say nothing of the problems of levelling. Even had to bail early from the second afternoon of an event back in 2018 as gusts of wind were twisting the tent frame and making it unsafe. Luckily for all it was quite late by then and little footfall lost.

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Interesting, the NEC Classic Motor show has confirmed they are on in November: https://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/

 

According to the e-mail:

 

Key changes include:

• Temperature checking upon arrival and face masks recommended
• Extended opening times with dedicated entry time and hall entrance options
• Widened aisles to enable easy viewing whilst maintaining physical distancing
• Hand sanitiser stations across the show
• Enhanced cleaning regime by venue and exhibitors

 

More details: https://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/covid-measures

 

This is a big event, and assuming it takes place, suggests the events industry isn't going to go away without a fight.

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With the current limit of no more than 30 people being in a gathering  (even with distancing) I guess they are hoping that will be somewhat expanded by then.

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3 minutes ago, TheQ said:

With the current limit of no more than 30 people being in a gathering  (even with distancing) I guess they are hoping that will be somewhat expanded by then.

 

Restrictions are changing frequently so it would be bad planning to assume that they will freeze for the next 4 months.

If things take a wrong turn, there is plenty of time to adjust arrangements or even cancel completely.

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Just now, Pete the Elaner said:

 

Restrictions are changing frequently so it would be bad planning to assume that they will freeze for the next 4 months.

If things take a wrong turn, there is plenty of time to adjust arrangements or even cancel completely.

That's what I said to my MRC who abandoned our show in May, the show not being due till October..

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I think we only have one course of action and get a prediction from Mystic Meg. "The winner this week will live in a house, or a flat or a ..............." I would do a prediction myself but I have lent my crystal ball out.  

 

Marc

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Hi all

Due to the current Covid19 situation the Model Railway Society of Ireland have taken the sad and reluctant decision to cancel the Dublin  October Bank Holiday weekend show for 2020

 

We intend to host a 2 day show in Spring 2021 if and when the situation improves 

 

Naturally we are very disappointed about this but it is out of our control 

 

Stay Safe Everyone

FB_IMG_1594632022206.thumb.jpg.2ebef8159b269f8ad4ddf1e92adb17af.jpg

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Based on Boris's last announcement I take the view that no exhibitions are allowed until 1st October at the earliest. I'm basing this on the assumption that a model railway exhibition would be seen as similar to " conferences and other business events" .  This is "at the earliest" and subject to good progress with Covid-19 and successful "pilot events". So maybe we can see light at the end of the tunnel, unless its a train coming towards us. It may well be possible to put an argument forward that our exhibitions are more akin to Bingo Halls; in terms of people mixing together its hard to see much difference between a bingo night and a business conference. 

 

Subject to how you classify model railway exhibitions, I don't think this means that there will be exhibitions in October but I think it means that there can't be any until then. It would be a very brave (or very foolish) person who decided to run an exhibition in October. It will be interesting to see what Mike Wild decides to do with GETS; he has a major dilemma on his hands and I wouldn't want to be in his position. My feeling is that cancellation is the most likely option which is a shame. Any show is subject to exhibitors being willing to spend one or two full days in a room with thousands of strangers and I think most would agree that an exhibition isn't really viable while there is still a requirement for social distancing. On social distancing Boris has stated that he hopes for "significant normality" by the middle of November and all the remaining restrictions lifted possibly by Christmas. This is obviously subject to there not being a second wave in the meantime. Based on this the BRM Peterborough show just might be able to go ahead. A very difficult decision though, and I think a decision to be put off to as late in the day as financial considerations will allow.

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14 minutes ago, Chris M said:

I don't think this means that there will be exhibitions in October but I think it means that there can't be any until then.

And with stories like this in the press about preparation for possible second waves you’d need to be even braver. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53438486

 

Plus with local councils powers to lockdown it’s even more complicated to make a decision. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53453720

 

Having a vaccine in place is only step 1 and then getting it out there is the next major unknown timescale especially if certain countries buy up the initial batches like happened with the drug found to be a helpful treatment. 
To be honest I wouldn’t exhibit or attend as a punter if half the people walking around were vaccinated, and therefore probably less fastidious with hygiene, and I wasn’t. I actually think there’s going to be a spike in risk while only a percentage have treatment much like the teenagers confident they aren’t at risk now. 
I’m just happy to wait until we know the timescales for vaccines actually being widely available and work to dates beyond that. 

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Despite what Boris has said, and it’s still all “ifs and buts “, as an exhibitor of a certain age I will not feel comfortable going to an exhibition, especially during the Winter cold and flu period, until a vaccine has been delivered. Watching the news last night I see 89 people are still dying every day on average from Covid. 

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One thing which I guess has been implied, but not spelled out in a concise statement.

 

All layout exhibitors are volunteers and even traders often use 'volunteer staff' in the sense that they are not full time employees.

 

Each of these volunteers will have their own agenda when it comes to their personal safety and their perception of their personal safety may change from week to week if not day to day.

 

What I mean is ......................

 

Exhibition X is being held in December.

 

In mid October they have to make a 'GO' or 'No-GO' decision. They ask me if I'm bringing my 26ft x 13ft layout which needs six operators. I ask my five helpers if they are happy to exhibit in December - they say 'YES' and so I confirm.

 

In mid-November something happens and there are renewed concerns and three of my team including the van driver change their minds. I can't replace them and so I reluctantly pull out.

 

I tell the exhibition manager - he now has a big problem, because I am the third layout to pull out this week along with two traders.  How does he fill that space at such short notice, the hallplan has to be completely changed.

 

He has a window of 7 days where he can cancel the hall booking and get a 50% refund - does he cancel? What if another two or three layouts pull out in the next week?

 

I think even if exhibitors have committed (weeks/months) in advance exhibition managers won't know 100% if they are going to turn up until they actually turn up, because the situation can change day by day.

 

I would not want to be an exhibition manager at the moment and the bigger the show, the bigger the problem.

 

 

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I know of one exhibition that has to make a large outlay in October, if they want to go ahead with their

show in March.

Its not a club that relies on the show keeping the club going, so why risk it.

THey think there is about a 10% chance of it taking place.

Hopefully, there is always another year.

Stan.

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