Event Managers Working Group meeting - 10 February 2016

The Association of Event Venues (AEV) Event Managers Working Group's first meeting of 2016 took place at the NEC Birmingham on February 10 with Emma Chilton of ACC Liverpool in the chair. The well attended meeting welcomed six new members to the working group from ACC Liverpool, Bournemouth International Centre, QEII Centre, the Crystal and the NEC.

Following apologies and approval of the last meeting's minutes, the group moved on to the main discussion topics of the day, covering an incredibly diverse range of questions and issues. Updates to the eGuide were discussed, regarding permissible fuel levels in vehicles on display and the whether the eGuide should have anything to say on live tissue dissections and medical demonstrations.

The group agreed to move forwards with a sub-group to develop a set of standardised forms for use in event management, with the NEC volunteering to provide a forms checklist for individual venues to complete, in order to identify the most prevalent and widely used documents suitable for standardisation.

During the discussion on CDM implementation, several venues recounted their experiences to the group, and it was generally accepted that H&S teams have done a good job across the industry to manage the change to CDM enforcement, and that organisers have accepted their increased H&S responsibilities.

Other topics covered included the phenomenon of visitors bringing their own food into venues, medical and working lasers (rather than light show and special effects lasers), exhibition capacities, drones and sporting activities.

After the main discussions came to their conclusion, the group moved on to round table news and venue updates and agreeing future meeting agenda items. The chair thanked the NEC for its hospitality.