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ACC Liverpool Launches A-Z Of COVID-19 Commitments In Preparation For Return to Events

ACC Liverpool has issued new operational guidelines as part of its commitment to get events back up and running as soon as government restrictions are lifted.

This follows three months of the venue operating as a food and PPE distribution centre.

Following the government’s announcement last week that conference and exhibition centres must remain closed, ACC Liverpool is stepping up its lobbying efforts alongside partners across the AEV, AEO and ESSA and is proceeding with its planning processes in readiness for the return of events.

The document, entitled Rediscover Events, aims to reassure event organisers and visitors of the measures taken to ensure that the campus offers a safe environment for bringing organised events and large numbers of delegates back together again.

It includes an A-Z of Covid-19 secure operational plans; key steps that The ACC Liverpool Group has already started to put into practice in response to the challenges to the event industry brought about by the pandemic.

Measures include providing a Covid secure delegate journey – whilst working with organisers to tailor solutions to each individual event – providing virtual and hybrid content solutions; adapted food and drink experiences; one-way delegate movement systems and virtual venue tours during the planning process.

The issuing of the revised operational plans, which includes new space capacities for conferences and exhibitions, follows the announcement made by the government last week regarding the reduction of social distancing measures from 2m to 1m plus. The plans have been developed following advice from Public Health England, the Local Director of Public Health, Visitor Economy Guidance and the All Secure Standard developed by the AEO. AEV and ESSA.

Bob Prattey, chief executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, said:

“We wanted a way to show our clients just how much work has been going on in the background to make sure we are ready for their return. Our campus has been operational throughout this time, working as a distribution centre for Liverpool City Council, which is still ongoing, therefore all social distancing protocols and management have already become second nature to our teams.

“Rediscover Events is a real statement of intent from us as a business – we are ready to welcome people back and are already working with clients to develop solutions for them in this new event environment.”

Wider destination and city support will also be provided for event organisers through the Liverpool City Recovery Group – a multi-agency group which has been looking at the ways that the city can get back up and running safely across all sectors. The group, which has been in place since the very early stages of lockdown, comprises city partners including Marketing Liverpool, Liverpool Convention Bureau, Merseyrail, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, The Royal Albert Dock and retail management companies Liverpool One and the Liverpool BID Company. The Group also includes Liverpool City Council and its key teams across licensing, emergency services and public health.

Chris Brown, director of Marketing Liverpool, said:

“Events are a vital part of the economy here in the city region and across the UK as a whole, and we need to get them back up and running as soon as possible. However people will of course need reassurance that it is safe to do so, and that’s why the work done by ACC Liverpool is so important; it shows event organisers and visitors that they can have the utmost confidence in holding and attending events here.”

ACC Liverpool is a member of the event industry initiative ‘Project Confidence’ consisting of partners across industry bodies the AEO, AEV and ESSA.

Prattey added:

“Through our support of Project Confidence, we aim to work with our industry colleagues across major UK venues, event organisers and suppliers to continue to research, listen and react quickly to government guidance.

“We are working together to bring organised events back safely, learning best practice from each other and our European colleagues to creatively adapt to a new landscape for live events.”

ACC Liverpool’s on-site interconnected hotel, Pullman Liverpool will reopen on 4 July with 1m plus Covid-19 secure measures in place, alongside the rest of the hotel and hospitality sector across the city throughout July.

For more information about ACC Liverpool’s plans for the return of events, visit www.accliverpool.com/rediscoverevents