As IET Venues prepare to safely reopen for socially distanced events once permitted, the central city venues have shared their extensive precautions for the reassurance of event planners.
Austin Court in Birmingham and Savoy Place in London offer a series of well ventilated rooms and additional outside space, which has allowed flexibility in redetermining new event capacities without compromising the safety of delegates.
Following detailed risk assessments, the venues are using this time of physical closure to train staff on social distancing competency and hygiene measures, while continuing to operate and take bookings remotely. Though staff will be well-versed in these new procedures, the venues will ensure that fogging disinfection is carried out specifically by specially trained GCC operatives in all high-risk areas. Perspex screens are being installed in reception and standard precautions such as sanitising stations and PPE disposal bins will be implemented. All visitors will have an allocated arrival time to avoid unnecessary queueing or crowding and will be asked to confirm that they are symptom-free for accountability.
IET Venues’ highly competent technology lends Savoy Place and Austin Court to bespoke digital messaging for each event to reiterate important measures displayed on screens around the venues. These will also exemplify the new rules for a one-way system around the buildings to remind delegates how to safely travel throughout the venues. Each room is set up with its own screen and capabilities for video conferencing, so everybody around each venue can tune in to one channel at once, or allow for different sessions in each room. Instructions will be given to all speakers using lapel microphones to minimise the need for contact with the AV team.
To ensure the success of hybrid events, the AV teams have been integrating popular online meeting platforms into their own AV systems, so online and live audiences can interact simultaneously with presenters and speakers, as well as with each other. Multi-layer video switchers and digital sound desks allow the management of audio and video coming from different sources and locations and can merge
them together in a multilevel communication layout. Dedicated hybrid event packages offer optional add-ons like Sli.do, which can be embedded into the streaming to encourage interactivity.
On the plans to reopen, Sean Spencer, Head of IET Venues and Facilities said: “We understand that event planners and delegates will be rightfully cautious when live events begin to pick up again and we’re doing everything we can to absorb the concern through preparing our venues with stringent hygiene and social distancing measures, without losing the magic of a live event. We believe it is not about ‘making the best out of a bad situation’, but about enhancing the experience for delegates with sustainable solutions that are easily adaptable according to the latest government advice. It is the team’s attitude, experience and unparalleled equipment that will allow this approach to be executed professionally and securely. We continue to take bookings for Autumn and 2021, are monitoring government guidance closely so that we can open as soon as advised to do so safely and we are communicating closely with planners to answer any questions they are likely to have.”
