News just in from British Marine, on a replacement event for this year’s cancelled Southampton Boat Show:

‘British Marine is delighted to announce that Southampton International Boat Show Ltd will present Boats 2020 at Mayflower Park, Southampton from 11 – 20 September 2020. This outdoor and on the water event will be a not-for-profit showcase of boats and equipment. The health, safety and security of exhibitors, visitors and colleagues will be its number one priority.

‘British Marine has continued to work tirelessly with Southampton City Council, exhibitors and key event stakeholders to find a way to deliver this event on behalf of the industry and to support its members.

‘Extensive work has been carried out in close collaboration with Southampton City Council to stage the event and ensure that Boats 2020 [] meets Public Health England COVID-19 secure requirements. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have also confirmed that the event plans fall within current Government guidance. Exhibitors and visitors can therefore be reassured that mitigating the risk of COVID-19 and safety is at the top of the agenda.

‘Organisations that are considering whether to attend should now contact the team at British Marine immediately to avoid missing out on this outdoor opportunity to engage safely with their enthusiastic audience (sales@britishmarine.co.uk).

‘British Marine, as a not-for-profit organisation, has been working extremely hard to set this event up to support the sector following the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Exhibitors who now want to join in must fully commit to the event by Friday 7 August in order for the marina to be built and all other operational details to be fulfilled.

‘Colin Capewell, Managing Director from Princess Motor Yachts Sales says: “We are absolutely thrilled that the show is going ahead after such a difficult time for everyone. While we will be doing this in a socially distanced way, the team from Princess will all be there with a very warm welcome. We are promising a really exciting line-up, and this could be the only chance visitors will get to see these beautiful yachts in one place this year! I know the British Marine team have worked tirelessly to ensure Boats 2020 can take place safely, and we can’t thank them enough!”

‘This event is aimed at the serious boat buyer and enthusiast, keen to see and buy the latest models and equipment available. To date an impressive 78 boats from 30 brands, including Princess Yachts will be located in the purpose-built marina, alongside over 40 land-based exhibitors of related marine equipment.

‘British Marine have worked with key stakeholders to develop a detailed set of enhanced measures to provide the highest levels of hygiene and safety at this show. These measures will focus on four cornerstones; Social Distancing, Cleaning and Hygiene, Protect and Detect and Clear Communications.

‘The carefully designed show layout and ticketing platform will help create a safe environment for all visitors and will allow them to focus on spending quality time with exhibitors.

‘Tickets will be limited and are expected to be booked up quickly. Anyone looking to attend Boats 2020 can register their interest here and will be contacted once full ticketing information is released.

‘British Marine will be monitoring and responding to any last-minute changes in the ever-evolving health situation, and will be asking all visitors, exhibitors and event staff to comply with all the latest public health advice.

‘Lesley Robinson, CEO of British Marine, said; “British Marine has remained absolutely committed to supporting the industry through the provision of an event this year. The staging of Boats 2020 [] would not have been possible without the support of Southampton City Council and I am delighted that we have been able to make this happen, at a time when so many other events have been cancelled. This not-for-profit event will offer boat buyers and the leisure marine industry a chance to come together with the reassurance that the event is within government guidelines. Visitors will see a super range of sailing and power boats, and the event format with opportunities to book appointments on boats will create a day of quality viewing for visitors.”

‘Councillor Satvir Kaur, Cabinet Member for Homes and Culture, Southampton City Council, commented: “Southampton is known for its packed calendar of events, but the current circumstances mean we’ve had to rethink how we can present popular features like the Boat Show safely for exhibitors and visitors. It’s important as a city we start to work towards economic recovery and support sectors such as marine in Southampton. I’m really pleased that by working closely with British Marine we’ve arrived at a solution which, while different to previous years, is COVID secure and sure to excite people coming to experience everything our great city has to offer.”’