UK Touring and Live Events STATE OF THE NATION – An update I have received many descriptions of this past year – crazy world, surreal times to paraphrase a few. Whilst not having come through it unscathed ourselves, we have been fortunate enough to survive this extremely challenging period largely intact when sadly, some have not.The last 18 months has been about adapting to ensure survival, the next 18 months is about recovery……. By Erika Dobie, UK Business Development Manager I think it is fair to say that we are not out of the woods yet with Covid infection rates currently rising again and the potential new variants still posing a threat. Combining this together with the additional complication of red tape with travel/work restrictions for the touring industry and the shortage of experience and specialist technical expertise continue to make for a very worrying and unsettling time. There are warnings that it could take at least another 3 years for the UK live music and events industry to recover and it may not resume to the same market leading status mantle that it had proudly become. Theatres have been thrown into darkness and large venues lost 75% of their income in 2020. We have seen the launch of a new government backed £1.57bn Culture Recovery fund from The Arts Council which has come to the aid of the arts sector covering theatres, heritage sites and small venue trusts. Some within the live music sector have been granted funds from the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) while the stages fell silent, but this all needs to be paid back… Many companies have had to adapt to the best of their ability and do whatever is necessary to ride the storm. Whilst it’s also had its challenges, the installation market has managed to see its way through with us seeing a multitude of remote, virtual and recording studio builds steaming ahead with music, conferences and live events being streamed as the slightly reluctant but necessary ‘new normal’. Canford has also been 58 | Source Material by Canford
integral to the supply chain of broadcast system integrators when sports events came back to life with the Euros and the Olympics, as well as the continued supply of products including custom manufactured ‘transport proof ’ racks and panels into stadia for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Andy Dockerty, MD of Adlib and key campaigner for ‘We Make Events’ comments: “ The live events industry has endured a horrific 18 months. Having seen many companies fall by the wayside since the initial lockdown in March 2020, there is still a long way to go for all of the existing organisations within the live industry supply chain. The industry was never told to close and consequently many organisations missed out on grants/rate relief that other sectors like hospitality benefitted from. Throughout the whole period from 20th March 2020 to 19th July 2021, the live events industry could not work. Hospitality at least had opportunities to work throughout that period albeit they had restrictions meaning that they probably did not make any money but had the advantage of minimising their losses. The live events supply chain unfortunately continued to accrue debt throughout the whole period. Many organisations report business was between 90% and 95% down on previous years. The sector was basically disproportionately disadvantaged in comparison to almost every other sector throughout the whole of lock down. Then came the government announcement of the 19th July 2021. From the beginning of lock down, the government had stated that upon opening up society they would review mass gatherings and large indoor gatherings. Consequently on the Call UK sales on +44(0)191 418 1122 or email sales@canford.co.uk
