Make it British Live postponed due to coronavirus

Make it British Live!, the London-based trade show to promote British manufacturers which was due to take place next week, has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Founder Kate Hills said she was planning for a new digital version of the event, which was due to be staged at the Business Design Centre in London, for May with further details planned to be released in due course.

Hills said the decision was taken after consultation with exhibitors and over concerns for the health of exhibitors, visitors and their families.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly and we have tried hard not to do this, but we no longer feel that the decision to keep 'business as usual' is in line with worldwide medical developments.

"By the time the event is due to take place we will be in the midst of a national emergency. Whilst we really want to continue with the event, we believe the right thing to do is to make this decision now to give enough time for everyone to cancel travel arrangements or hotels," she said.

In light of the pandemic a number of British-based fashion businesses have been investigating the possibility of manufacturing locally and the event was hoping to promote the benefits of that. However, this will now be done online and Hills said the move to a digital version would also make the event more accessible to international visitors.

"The virtual event will include everything that the live event does, including the conference, the networking and the workshops. Each exhibitor will have their own virtual booth that they will be able to ‘man’ for the duration of the show using a webcam that can be attached to any computer.

"Since we’ll be bringing Make it British Live! to visitors, instead of visitors having to come to a venue, some of our international visitors, who might not otherwise have been able to attend, will now also be able to ‘visit’ the show, meet the exhibitors, watch the talks and network with other visitors," she said.

All visitor tickets will automatically be transferred to the virtual expo in May, as well as being redeemable against tickets for a re-scheduled live show. To find out more visit the Make it British Live! website.