COVID-19 has caused massive disruption across the world and event venues are facing unprecedented challenges.
Hospitality and events are probably the industries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Large events have had to be cancelled to follow social distancing rules. Even now, as groups of six are allowed to meet, we’re a long way away from mass social gatherings. Many experts expect that every event venue will have to adapt to changes because of this global pandemic. Some of these changes, they expect, will last forever.
But what changes are the COVID-19 pandemic going to force? Are they positive or negative?
In this blog, we’re going to explore some predictions of how every event venue is going to have to adapt, as well as what our team at Franklin’s Gardens is doing to ensure everyone’s safety once social distancing is relaxed.
Short-term effects on Event Venues
As countries around Europe take steps towards lifting their lockdowns, we can see a clearer picture of what life post-lockdown looks like.
In Amsterdam, restaurants have trialled ‘COVID-19’ safe services. These involve restaurant guests sitting outside in greenhouse-like structures. This allows servers to stand within two metres of guests without the risk of passing COVID-19 to one another.
This is a unique twist on an idea that is over in the UK right now. If you’ve been to a shop recently, the cashier has probably been behind a plastic screen. What we’re seeing in other countries is two preventive measures being employed; plastic screens and only allowing meetings outdoors. Could these precautions allow an event venue to reopen?
For every event venue in the short term, to open, they will need to provide socially-distanced fun. At Franklin’s Gardens, we have lots of outdoor space as well as experience serving guests outside. Along with protective screens, this could be a path towards allowing people to be able to have a drink with their friends and family safely.
A combination of comfortable outdoor seating, social distancing for separate households and protective screens for staff could be the short-term solution for event venues. But, what about in the long-term? Is the events industry going to be changed permanently? Is this a positive thing?
Long-term changes to Event Venues
One of the only positives to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the decrease in air pollution. Planes have been grounded and fewer people have been driving; event venues have not produced any non-recyclable waste. In the long-term, we will hopefully see a more sustainable approach to holding events from event venues around the world.
Hopefully, post-COVID-19, changes will be made to inspire sustainable actions around live events. This could be more focus put on waste management and encouraging sustainable forms of transport for attending guests. As the impact of our carbon footprint becomes more obvious – because of the lack of air pollution occurring right now – the conversation around sustainable events will get louder.
Many experts say that normal life will be hard to resume until a vaccine for COVID-19 is widely available. Of course, this isn’t ideal, but human beings are creative creatures; we will adapt how we live, so we can live as close to normal as possible.
Behind any great event venue, are creative minds. The limitations of social distancing are going to need creativity to overcome. To justify a move back to in-person events over virtual meetings will also need inventive actions to be taken. This means event venues will hopefully become more inclusive and offer more benefits to guests. Both of these impacts will mean an improved events industry in the long term.
Event venues are going to be more prepared for a situation like this. Meaning, if a similar global pandemic occurs, event venues in the UK can install safety measures faster than during COVID-19. This could mean that a strict lockdown is not needed to contain a contagious virus.
In this blog, we hope that we have shown how the events industry could improve post-COVID-19, as well as explaining the short-term and long-term impacts on event venues of this global pandemic.
We hope the first live event you go to after the lockdown is with Franklin’s Gardens. Even though we’re not putting on dynamic and exciting events right now, we are working behind the scenes to improve every aspect of what we do.
To find out more about Franklin’s Gardens, give us a call on 01604 751543 or please feel free to fill in the enquiry form on our contact page today.
