The 19th of July is the day that we are all looking forward to. It’s the day that will hopefully bring us all a little more freedom and see the current restrictions around COVID lifted. But the question on everyone’s lips is what will life be like post-COVID? Will some restrictions remain in place? Plus, it’s no surprise that many businesses, like ours in the hospitality industry, will be looking at how best to reopen and start trading again. In this article, we look in particular at the return of live events.
Once in-person events can take place with no restrictions, many event planners and event coordinators will be thinking how best to go about organising their events. Well, here’s where we can help. We’re sharing our tips to get you prepared for in-person events…
Keep it simple.
If this is the first event for your company/fundraising group/society in over a year, we suggest keeping it really simple. We’re not saying get rid of all the fun aspects of the event, but instead to focus on the foundations of what will make the event a success. There is also a huge advantage of keeping it simple, which we’ll reveal later on…
Firstly, establish why you are holding the event. The goal may be to bring everyone together and boost morale or, it might be to raise money for a cause. Whatever the reason, keep this at the forefront of your mind and keep all of your planning in line with this. Not only will this make coordinating easier, but it will also make for a more cohesive event.
If you’re an international company or even just a national company thinking of getting all your employees together like you usually would pre-COVID, it might be a good idea to reduce the size of the event and either wait until restrictions have disappeared completely or organise regional events instead with smaller groups of people. International travel is still such an unknown area, so we’d suggest keeping it to all UK-based guests.
So, the advantage of keeping it simple? Your costs will be lower. It’s no secret that some companies have struggled this past year and a half, so this is of course a great win. By eliminating some of the unnecessary elements of the event, without having a detrimental effect on the purpose, will serve you well. These elements could be choosing to have a simpler menu or cutting down on entertainment and merchandise.
Small & Local is Best.
If you can, it’s advantageous to keep your event local, especially if you would usually opt for a further afield location. For example, if your HQ is in Reading, why not choose a venue in Reading. Not only is this going to reduce your guest’s reliance on public transport, or stress over travelling to somewhere new, but it will also help to support those smaller, independent venues in your local area. You’ll often find that these venues can give the same level if not better service as the big chain hotels and venues that you may normally go to!
Although restrictions will have lifted, it’s also important to consider how your guests are feeling towards events. Just because social distancing and masks are no longer compulsory, it’s best not to immediately assume that your guests will feel comfortable attending a large 500-person event.
If you’re organising an event on behalf of your company, you could send out a survey to gauge how your fellow employees feel about large events, or if that’s not possible, then why not air on the side of caution and cut the guest list down to ensure everyone feels comfortable. Many of us are desperate to get back to normal, but it’s important to consider the feelings of others who may approach these types of situations in a more reserved way.
Post 19th July, we will be open once again to take your event bookings – whether that’s a corporate get-together, a birthday party or a fundraising event. At present, we are open and available to book for events up to 30 guests. Please email us at office@thejazzcafe.co.uk for more information or call us on 0118 968 1442.
Before booking your event, we advise you to check local and national government guidelines to ensure your event complies with any restrictions that may still be in place.
