200 CARS GO TO ‘LITMUS TEST’ CLASSIC SHOW – WHY THE EVENT WENT AHEAD
Team behind UK’s classic spectacular vows to keep 2020 event on the road. Here’s ere’s how they plan to keep you safe this year
The organiser of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, has vowed that this year’s show will go ahead – with social distancing in place – if the government gives it the green light.
Clarion Events said that it is planning to go ahead with the three-day indoor show at Birmingham’s NEC, and that it has worked with other event organisers to create an industry-wide standard to help minimise the spread of coronavirus.
Show director, Lee Masters, said: ‘Noone wants this show to happen more than us. As a team, we have brainstormed and created working groups to look at everything we need to do to keep all our visitors, clubs and traders safe but still put on the show they love as soon as we get the green light from government.
‘It may look and feel different to previous years, but we’re all getting used to a ‘new normal’ in the wake of CovID-19.’
Clarion Events, which also organises the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show – postponed in March and then again in May due to the outbreak – said that it had planned as though the event will take place in a matter of weeks rather than months to allow it to respond quickly to changes in the nationwide lockdown. It also said that it has gone through every stage of a classic fan’s show visit, from parking up to browsing club stands, to make sure that that social distancing and hygiene measures can be carefully followed.
Tickets for the show are set to go on sale next week and clubs and traders looking to take part will be contacted in due course about the show’s format to help them to plan their stands.
The show’s organisers will also be encouraging classic fans to use the #wheelmeetagain hashtag on social media to keep up to date with any updates and changes for the show.
Lee said: ‘ The team is currently working on the floorplan and would like to thank the clubs for their patience during this process because I know they are already itching to plan their stands.
‘I’d also like to thank all the traders for their support of the show. They’re as desperate to trade as we are for the doors to open so we are working together to make that happen.
‘ This is not just about seeing the stunning cars on display; it is about re-uniting our community and bringing friends together.’
The Government has indicated that the coronavirus alert would need to be at level two – rather than the current level three, brought in ahead of last weekend’s lockdown restrictions – before large events are allowed to take place.
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