by Gail Tucker, Fair Organiser
Many of you know I like a plan and sometimes, I even have more than one, so this is just an update from MGM Fairs, to advise of what’s happening and what we hope will be happening over the next few months.
As you may be aware, all our shows have been cancelled until the end of August 2020. Although there is some easement of the lockdown, many of us are in the high risk categories and are still self-isolating from the Covid-19 pandemic and although the government have recently relaxed some restrictions, no word has yet been forthcoming from the government regarding concerts, gigs, festivals, large sporting events and fairs.
So in the spirit of “hoping-for-the-best but planning-for-the-worse”, I am optimistic that the regulations will have been eased enough by the beginning of September to allow some of our shows to go ahead. So from September to end November 2020, we intend to hold the following shows:
Sunday 6 September 2020 - Members Pavilion, County Showground, STAFFORD.
Saturday 12 September 2020 – Strathbrock Community Centre, BROXBURN
Sunday 20 September 2020 – Westpoint, EXETER
Sunday 11 October 2020 – Lyndhurst Community Centre, LYNDHURST
Sunday 1 November 2020 – Bentley Heath Community Centre, SOLIHULL
Saturday 14 November 2020 – Pudsey Civic Centre, LEEDS
I have been in contact with all of these venues, and several cannot give me a definite answer as to whether they will be open, as they continue to wait for specific government information. Several are adopting similar measures to the ones I will be taking below and only Westpoint in Exeter, and the Lyndhurst Community Centre, have confirmed they hope to be open for business.
So remaining optimistic and in order to act responsibly to whatever situation we find ourselves in, I shall be putting in place most, or all, of the following measures at our shows, which are currently being used by the supermarkets and food shops at this time.
We shall be spacing out our traders in the showrooms
Alternatively we may have to limit the number of traders attending some shows
We plan to extend the opening hours of the shows by at least one hour, to avoid undue congestion in the mornings, when we are always the busiest.
We plan, where possible, to instigate a one-way system, to avoid unnecessary contact.
We will allow a specific number to enter the showroom, and then regulate a one-out/one-in system to make sure that the showroom has a manageable number of people at any one time.
We shall supply anti-bacterial wipes, tissues and gel for the customers and individual face-masks for those traders that would like them.
Hope to see you at one of the fairs.
