2 SOUTHAMPTON OFF OR ON?
As we went to press in mid-july, the future of this year’s Southampton Boat Show was still hanging in the balance. Officially, what was to be the 52nd edition of the Southampton International Boat Show has been postponed until 2021 owing to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. However, organiser British Marine was still ‘exploring various smaller scale alternatives’.
Unofficially, we know the same organiser is busy trying to sell the concept of a smaller, all-outdoor alternative event to many of the show’s regular exhibitors. The proposed not-for-profit event is geared to the latest guidelines set by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), but will need final approval from Southampton City Council.
The plans we have seen envisage a maximum number of 25,000 to 30,000 visitors over the course of the show. Normally, the total gate is around the 100,000 mark. The scaled-down event would be held at the same Mayflower
Park site as usual but would only occupy part of the venue. It will include boats on pontoons and exhibitor stands ashore, but there will be no indoor marquees and tented areas.
A final decision on whether this Boat
Show-lite event will go ahead was due to take place at the end of July, after we went to press.
Keep an eye on the Mby.com website for the latest updates.
The situation was further complicated by
MDL Marinas’ decision to hold its own boat show over the same September 11-20 dates.
Its event will be held at Ocean Village Marina, less than a mile from Mayflower Park. MDL had been planning to run the second annual edition of the South Coast Boat Show in May but like the British Motor Yacht Show it was forced to postpone it due to lockdown. The new show will be called the Ocean Village Boat Show. Entry is free but visitors will need to pre-register via the MDL Marinas’ website.
CANNES IS GO
The organisers of the Cannes Yachting Festival have confirmed the 2020 event will take place from September 8-13, barring any unforeseen lockdown measures. The Covid-19 safety protocols it has put in place meet all the current guidelines and the event has now received approval from the local and national authorities. The venues remain the same as last year, the Vieux Port de Cannes (Old Port) for the motorboats, and Port Pierre-canto for the sailboats. For details of the key new boats due to be unveiled at the show, turn to our Cannes Show Launch guide starting on p39.