Sixty percent of the UK’s events industry’s supplier base is facing collapse within three months, unless event businesses receive further support from the government, according to an online survey carried out by the UK’s Events Industry Forum (EIF) and Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP) and co-ordinated by the Production Services Association (PSA).
Of the 1,490 businesses surveyed from all sub-sectors of the UK events industry between 3-7 April, 6% say they are unlikely to survive until the end of April as a result of the impact of Covid-19.
The results have been published a week after a UK government minister said that events could “kick start” the economy when the country emerges from the Covid-19 crisis.
According to the survey, only 1% of respondents have been successful in applying for the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. It has also been revealed that despite the Chancellor of the Exchequer indicating in the House of Commons that event organisers and the supply network behind them should be eligible for leisure and hospitality business support grants, according to the survey most which have applied have been turned down by local authorities, which are running the scheme.
Michael Hirst OBE, Chairman of the BVEP, noted the survey indicated that the UK is in danger of losing its capacity and expertise to stage world-class events. He said: “The UK has some of the best companies and contractors in the world supplying the needs of its events industry; an industry which will revitalise the nation’s economy and communities when the crisis is over.
“Hopefully the survey’s findings will underline the desperate need to provide more support to sustain the industry’s suppliers and contractors until they can start operating again.”
The UK business events sector has seen 74% of all conferences and exhibitions either postponed to the last quarter of 2020 or cancelled altogether.
“With so many events already cancelled and no certainty about when they will be able to start again, our industry is on its knees,” said Jim Winship, Secretary of the Events Industry Forum, which represents 26 organisations from the outdoor events industry.
“We urgently need the government to confirm to local authorities that all event organisers and suppliers to our industry are eligible for the hospitality and leisure grants; that will give an immediate lifeline for many.”
