New guide lines for trading at events in the UK 2020

[Lee Mannering]

I'm posting this in the hope it helps anyone organising film events within our green a pleasant land focusing on guide lines traders are expected to follow to keep everyone safe.

I've a trade event coming up and have been presented a list of things I must have in place to be able to attend and here are a few highlights.
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Traders tables must not be moved and are set 2mtrs apart. You will be expected to bring your own Perspex screen to put between the table to your left and it must be as near 1mtr wide and a minimum of 3mtrs high. This screen must not be moved. It is recommended you have a Perspex screen between you and customers but you have the option of using full face covering. Please used electronic payment methods, card reader or the computer method as we have to limit cash circulating in the venue. We are only allowed to let limited numbers in at any one time and we have arranged a electronic green red light system at the entry point which will be monitored. We have to operate a one way system with in out exits so once visitors have been around all the traders they have to leave and if coming back in will have to enter the main doors once again.
Leaving the venue. We respectfully ask you stay on your table before leaving end of day other than essential movements' if you need to leave early please tell us as soon as possible as we will position you near the exit door to avoid disrupting the one way system.

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More less important conditions of trade apply but these are the main ones to follow. I ordered a pull up clear screen to go between the tables at a cost of £70, hand sanitiser and a couple of full face masks for the front view. It's going to be this way for some time I guess but at least this essential event for me can go ahead and actually trade.

Hope this vision of new larger event trading is of help to others.

[Dominique De Bast]

Doesn't sound very appealing but that's the price to pay to keep those events going and to try to all stay in good health.

[Lee Mannering]

Yes Dom I'm really happy they have come up with a safe clear plan as we rely on these pro events for future business here. It's good news also the organisers are keeping us and the visitors safe and I feel this will be the shape of larger gatherings to come and happy to follow guide lines. It's a case of baggy get with the beat I think

[Douglas Meltzer]

Lee,

Thank you for this posting. This information is very useful for planning upcoming events.

[Maurice Leakey]

Lee

I do hope that after you going to a lot of trouble that you will be supported by potential customers when the time comes.

It does seem in the restaurant trade that potential customers who had previously booked a table just did not turn up. I have a Toby Carvery almost next door who are demanding previous bookings, either on the 'phone or via their website. Their car park, which is nearly always well occupied with parked cars, does look almost empty, It certainly doesn't look if they are doing much trade.

I realise that trade events are not quite in the same category as restaurants, but there does seem to be very little willingness for people to go out much these days. On my daily walk, only today, I met a fellow neighbour who said "this is the first time I've been out since the lock-down finished".

I wish you well.


Maurice

[Mike Newell]

Doesn’t sound very appealing. Let’s hope a vaccine is developed soon to end this madness.

[Mark Mander]

Let's be honest here , 2m rules are a joke ,look at the supermarkets and shops,queue outside and a free for all inside, we drove past a car boot recently and it was packed with people shoulder to shoulder, very few people bother with distancing and when we have a second spike they wonder why. Now with more relaxed rules it really is bad, I cant see any film fair where any distancing will take place, they climb over you to get a film normally and that wont change, Mark

[Lee Mannering]

The main problem is as explained be el leading virus expert only last week. Covid 19 is part of the common cold group and in 70 years we haven't found a cure for that. We have a friend who nurses in critical and been on long shifts for months, she explained how devastating this thing is and unpredictable God bless her.

I've had several instances now where individuals walk right up to you at checkouts so every time masked up I turn round and say YOU ARE IN MY 2 MTR SPACE! Its either say it or risk catching it.

I'll let you know how our event goes.

[Mike Newell]

The issue with COVID is that it has been driven by panic and hysteria from the beginning. Once the death toll in Italy went up all reasoning went out the window. Nothing has really changed since then apart from a few Perspex millionaires being created. The face mask wearing if it was ever useful is a farce as one doctor described it is like building sheep fences to stop mosquitoes.

It will have a major Negative impact on like activities cafes restaurants churches cinemas theatres and all type of conventions. Glad I’m Partially retired and working from home. Watched more films and movies in last 4 months. Amazing how you can clear work up at faster rate when you have an incentive. 😜

Long life and prosper. Keep practicing the Vulcan hand gesture.🖖

[Paul Barker]

i would wonder if this is a general guideline for the whole of the uk. and is it compulsory, ie law. or at the disgression of where the event is held. as stated on a previous post re the Blackpool Film Fair in november. we should know from the Grand Hotel re procedures needed for this event early august. these details will be given on here, once known. they maybe as Lee stated. or maybe different. we will have to see.

[Lee Mannering]

Probably a little easier by Nov Paul the way things are going. The council have done a good job thus far and when we were over this week it was fairly busy with hotels really knuckling down to get things back to some sort of normal. Its a whole lot better than some may think I have to say and a blessing in Blackpool is all that sea air on the prom, free air being the enemy of Karaoke Virus of course.

Diners, pubs, hotels are immediately cleaning tables as you leave ready for the next guest and for the best part visitors are still having a great time following the national guide lines. We are keeping those positive waves going and I'm filming again in Blackpool later this week so will have a chat around about to see how things are progressing.

[Brian Fretwell]

As for masks being "like building sheep fences to stop mosquitoes.", I thought they weren't for stopping the mosquitos (the individual virus particles) but the water droplets containing a great number of them that traveled more than 2m when people coughed or sneezed.

Of course that was before research was done int airborne infection spread, but it still is a preventative.