#LigtInRed for the event industry

Yesterday, we took part in the #LightInRed day of global action. At 8:00 pm, we lit the facade of Friends House in red to raise awareness about the difficult situation the event industry is in. Many venues across the country did the same, responding to the call of the #WeMakeEvents campaign. The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted event venues. Many haven’t been able to reopen. For those which managed to reopen, like ours, meetings are limited to 30 delegates. Although we understand that gatherings have to be limited, this is not viable in the long run. And with no real perspective of fully reopening before March 2021 at best, the whole sector could collapse.

More than events

The current crisis affects the event sector but also a whole supply chain, communities, and workers across the country. Paul Grey, CEO of Quiet Company, was on-site yesterday: ”This is a devastating time for our industry. Whilst we appreciate what the Government has done to help businesses, it won’t be enough to sustain our industry until next year. The current situation has a direct impact on our purpose. It means that the gift-aid we give to the charity of Quakers in Britain will be deeply affected. It also affects the supply chain, the local community we work with, and the programmes that we support, such as Bake the Difference, which offer ex-offenders work placements at Friends House. This goes beyond events.”

Supporting the event industry

We will carry on taking part in actions to support our industry. In the meantime, know that Friends House is a safe, COVID-secure venue. We can currently host meetings for up to 30 delegates. We’ve had a few meetings so far, with great feedback each time. And the good news is: less is more. We won’t charge you extra if we allocate one of our bigger meeting rooms for your event. This may not be meetings like we’re used to, but it’s definitely the same great event experience you’re used to. Contact our Events team by email to find out more.

A few figures about the event industry

• The overall sector generated £70bn of economic impact in 2019, employing some 600,000 people (with the exhibitions sector alone creating £11bn, supporting some 114,000 of those jobs).
• Trade fairs support 180,000 businesses, many of which are SMEs, across the economy, trade and make deals, generate sales, and fuel their supply chains.