THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL HALLS SUPERCEDE COVID-19 MEASURES

The Royal Horticultural Halls team has revealed that it has implemented COVID-safe measures that go beyond industry standards.

The operations team has been working tirelessly to implement and supercede the Covid-19 industry standard practices suggested by the Government and can now also host hybrid events in a variety of formats, having doubled wi-fi capability.

Venue sales manager Rhiân Pressley confirmed: “In this ever-changing situation, it’s important to show that we are going above and beyond to ensure events can return safely to the Halls. We’ve used the Visit England Industry Standard as a guideline and have the ‘We’re Good to Go’ accreditation plus we have taken further measures. We’ve already held distanced examinations doubling capacity by using the Lawrence Hall concurrently with the Lindley Hall.”

Peter Ansell and Shireen Langton from Invigilation Services commented: “We have been extremely happy with the way the team at the Royal Horticultural Halls continue to liaise and cooperate with us to keep these essential examinations going, and we are confident that the Halls can provide us with a service safely and efficiently under these difficult and ongoing challenging circumstances.”

Pressley continued: “External events are now the mainstay of our business and the way they run could change forever. I see it as our duty to make it work in a number of ways for the wide variety of clients we service, from conferences, exhibitions even sales.”

The additional steps include venue staff working in bubbles to reduce risk, staff and client’s welfare facilities have been separated and a one-way system will be in operation in the venue and back of house to ensure distancing is maintained for clients and guests. Plus:

• COVID assured risk assessments put in place plus individual schemes of work for each event. Clients will be required to provide COVID specific risk assessment in addition to their normal H&S documentation
• Temperature-monitoring terminal installed within the Lindley Hall which also detects mask wearing. Visitors can just walk past.
• Perspex screen at the reception desk
• Hospital grade anti-bacterial spray and new cleaning methodologies have been introduced for cleaning all areas of the venue
• During events a third-party company will provide all first aid cover
• Event equipment and furniture will be cleaned before the start and at the end of every event.
• Ethernet ports are placed around the venue with a separate one in the organiser’s office for additional wi-fi capacity

Pressley concluded: “We’re looking forward to the green light from Government. Venues can operate with these new guidelines, now it’s time to get going.”