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QEII Centre confirms first post-lockdown events for October

London’s QEII Centre will be hosting events this autumn following the governmentโ€™s announcement that the business meetings and events industry can re-open from October.

The venue has been closed since March when the UK was placed into lockdown, with teams working remotely to reschedule events and plan carefully for a safe re-opening.

Between April and July, the QEII sales team securedย a number ofย newย national and internationalย events for the end of 2020 and into 2021, including the Paradigm Shift Leadership Summit in October 2020 and the Global Excel Summit 2021 in April.

The booked events will generate circa ยฃ800k in additional revenue for the Centre andย are estimated to contribute to the economyย aroundย ยฃ14.7m in Gross Expenditure,ย ยฃ6.9m in GVA.

Mark Taylor, Chief Executive of the QEII Centre, said: โ€œWe are thrilled that the government has confirmed a re-opening date for the industry and are looking forward to welcoming clients, delegates and staff back through our doors from October.

โ€œTo contract so many events during lockdown, whenย the industry hadย no date to resume operations, is a real achievementย and testament to the QEII teamโ€™s hard work and theย confidence our clients have in our venue to deliver successful events in a safe manner.

โ€œWe haveย proactivelyย workedย with our clients to accommodate their requirements in these extraordinary timesย and planned for anย anticipated increased demand forย hybrid events.

โ€œPreparations based on new health and safety guidelines have also been made for the Centreโ€™s re-opening and our management team has consulted industry bodies and the UK government toย help shape post Covid-19 venue operating guidelines, while also liaising with global competitorsย who are ahead of the UK in the Covid-19 pandemic infection cycle.โ€

QEII hasย already introduced a range of measures to reassure clients and delegates of a safe return to the Centre and event activity. They includeย enhanced cleaningย measures and physicalย distancing procedures incorporated into event planning. Cateringย operations haveย alsoย beenย adaptedย toย minimiseย contactย whilst still delivering exceptional quality.

Other measures introduced include:

  • Thermalย scannersย at the entrancesย to the Centre to assess body temperaturesย for delegates,ย contractorsย andย staff. Anyone with a temperature over 100.4F, or 38C will not be allowed into the venue.
  • Garment bags will be used for coats placed in the cloakrooms to help stop contact between items.
  • Enhanced signage to assist with distancing throughout the Centre.
  • Physically distanced room layouts.

Anย animated video has also been producedย to walkย clients and delegatesย through the measures and what to expect when returning to the Centre, which can be viewedย here.