Following today’s emergency government COBRA meeting, the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has confirmed that this week’s BeerX UK event will be going ahead.
The chief medical officer recommends that, at this stage, there is no need to restrict large public gatherings or move to phase two of a plan which would include social distancing measures.
SIBA BeerX UK will, therefore, be going ahead as normal on Wednesday and Thursday, but with extra precautions in place.
Chief executive, James Calder, said: “We are working with our event partners, the Liverpool ACC, and closely following government guidance on a day-by-day basis. We would encourage all brewers, suppliers, judges, and delegates to stick to their plans and take sensible measures. We look forward to welcoming you all at BeerX in Liverpool this week.”
SIBA is putting in place sensible preventative measures to ensure that the risk stays low across the gathering. These include:
- A ban on handshakes
- A ban on sharing beer glasses
- Hand sanitiser stations placed throughout BeerX and on every bar
- Exhibitors to provide hand sanitiser on all stands
- Encouraging everyone to stick to the NHS latest guidance on hand washing and sneezing into tissues
- If you feel unwell (signs of cold or flu) then please don’t attend, or leave the event if you feel unwell during it
The bar teams will:
- Wear nitrile gloves at all times, and wash hands with hot water and soap regularly
- Give a fresh glass for every beer, including tasters
- Enforce a ban on sharing beer glasses with anyone else
- Report any feelings of ill health to their manager as soon as possible
