WORD FROM THE BFBi

Will the ‘road map’ show the way!

Despite Government’s seeming determination to annihilate the hospitality industry and its supply chain, together with a lack of exit strategy from Covid19, we need to look forward and support each other through what is going to be an even more challenging time as we endeavour to emerge in a financially viable way.

With this in mind, we are continuing to organise BevExpo 2021 (see further information below, and on pages 13 & 67 of this issue), due to take place 8th & 9th June at Manchester Central.

Will BevExpo go ahead? It really is a knife-edge thing but if we do cancel/ postpone now and then we come out of lockdown and social distancing, we will have missed an opportunity to enable our industry to get together for the first time since BeerX 2020.

This is not a situation any of us would want but it is what we have and we are keen to bring our wonderful industry together; to meet, to chat, to learn, just see each other. If we have to cancel, we have provisional dates for 2022 and there is no oncost to any exhibitors or sponsors. As I write this in early February, I’m keeping everything crossed that Government’s announcement of a ‘road map’ on 22nd February gives us some light at the end of what is a very long tunnel.

What am I going to do when we are allowed to get out and about?

• See my sons!!!!!

• Get in my car and drive to see my members (not great for the environment but I am beyond fed up with Zoom and really miss driving up and down the country, meeting with member companies).

• Go to the pub and meet friends.

• Organise a great big ‘piss up in a brewery’ (Salt Beer Factory) so we can all get together, hug, shake hands, high five, bump elbows or whatever is your predilection, and talk and talk.

• Have the full team back in the office and get back to organising tours, seminars, training.

• Think about things other than surviving; Covid grants (or lack of); Brexit regulations i.e. working together to re-establish our fantastic industry.

• Get on a plane (I still have my fingers crossed that CBC might take place and, if not, drinktec will do).

• Go for a walk in a different location – the coast is beckoning.

• Have a ceremonial burning of my face mask.

• Not think about hands, face, space

Has being forced to become a prisoner in one’s own home been all bad? Probably not, it’s given me time to think, made me realise life does not have to be as hectic as it has been in the past. BUT, there are no two ways about it – I have missed you all!

Ruth Evans MBE, BFBi C.E.O.