Bright and Free
We know there can be conflict and disagreement during daily life. During the present time, we see unprecedented situations, and there will be a conflict of interest. My feeling is allowing people to voice concerns is fair and beneficial.
Being able to consider all aspect of an issue is a potent mindset. We certainly look at every avenue of show organisation and promotion. And the more we look at and consider the options, the greater the opportunities available.
When I read Ian’s article, which was published yesterday: I confess to thinking it was too emotional. I reread it three times and realised the potential of what we ( all of us ) have created. The Well Being Show and the infrastructure of the organisation are well up to change and adaption. And Ian’s right: we have to celebrate our successes and reflect on the achievements of past years.
I realise we cannot push the changes too far and we have to keep close to our roots. Don’t forget this is our seventh year of organising shows. The first small event took place on Saturday, 16 November 2013: Almost seven years to the day! We are dedicated to securing our excellent reputation; moving away from the original concept would be foolish.
At the moment we have a call to action. We have to push forward and keep as many people as possible aware of the Well Being brand. NO doubting there are many questions to be answered regarding the coming months. However, we have plenty of outside opinions and suggestions to consider and use to best advantage.
Making the change from Well Being Show to Well Being Market was the right choice to make and seemed to be welcomed by many people. Of course, some people do not like the idea, and some have offered concerns about the project. A lady from the west country asked how we’d ‘got away with opening the market’! Pity, she’d not put her caller id onto ‘hidden’! Or we’d reply to the sleight!
There will be two sides of opinion about the Well Being Markets: but everyone involved the logistic of the market agree that the format is a market: full stop. We have adapted the venues to be a small shopping area. And this is the crux of the concept. Many people will wish to come and enjoy the day or weekend, and some will not: But I asked you to be fair. If you do not like the idea, accept there are plenty of people who do: and you’ll not persuade them against their opinion.
My concern is that the crisis is beginning to divide people. And we should work to prevent this from happening. We all know of situations which cause longterm resentment and even make enemies of once good friends. Whenever someone has an opposing viewpoint – it is their perspective – and they have a right, their thoughts and assessments. It is human nature to like to be right: and therefore, the aspect of separation is inevitable in such catastrophic circumstances. We have a long way to go before the light of freedom shines again, and like every historical event, there will be years of analysis and debate as to the rights and wrongs of the event.
We are clear and transparent about our work and the way we have chosen to conduct our businesses. Our investment’s of ‘life-hours’ are considerable, and we are not prepared to lose the headways attained over the last seven years. And therefore we will make and take every opportunity so as not to lose our foothold. If some people do not like this: we accept their concerns: but we will not waiver from our purpose.
On Friday, we visited the Epic Centre to work through the safety assessment with the show ground’s management. It seemed strange to think only a year ago there was so much promise and much to look forward too: and now we see the result of seven-month decimation; with so many people lost and in fear for their future. The forward bookings we had at that point were nothing short of phenomenal. Nearly every show for 2020 was fully booked. Visitors interest was reflected in our weekly LizianEvents News figures. There was no doubt 2020 would have been a landmark year for the business.
Perhaps the worse moment was seeing the fantastic turnout that stormy weekend in February when nearly 500 people braved closed roads, bridges and floods to come to the Newark Well Being Show. We all knew we’d jumped a massive hurdle that weekend. At Nottingham, six weeks later, we saw the possible effects of the crisis beginning to take hold. And the week following the show, market customers talked of their concern and why they choose not to visit.
By early June we saw the probability that this year would be a write off: and as we have seen, many have lost out to the situation. We carefully worked through the option of becoming market-based and after talking to market officers at Nottingham Victoria Market, we realised there would be a possibility of offering some hope of trading to Community Members.
I know some people question the idea of organising the Well Being Markets. And I respect your opinions: however, we will not change track or move away from our purpose. The determination to work through this crisis is without question. We believe that November’s Well Being Market will be a great success. And the people who attend the market will enjoy a superb weekend. As a marker to the support for the Well Being Market, we have 2/3rds bookings secured and many booking forms to be returned. Interest is countrywide: an indication of the great potential the markets hold.
We will book venues for 2020 and beyond, as we see a bright and free future ahead. I’m not writing these words through rose-tinted glasses. The comments are put together from the knowledge people wish to live a life of freedom. Ultimately, there can be no other outcome, other than an active and living society. And Ian and I will work without respite to make sure the company we work for will be ready for the bright and free future ahead.
Liz
Liz Clark
MD – LizianEvents Ltd
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A good piece.
If shops are trading in the high street, there is no reason why MBS stalls cannot trade at a bespoke market.
If it takes the sleight of hand to call a fair into a market in order for it to go ahead- so be it.
There is a difficult balancing act for organisers, and traders alike.
On the one hand, positivity, determination and a Can Do attitude are pivotal to make an event happen. On the other, we are in the middle of the worst pandemic for a century, with Nottingham and Sherwood in the highest level of restrictions. The majority of exhibitors and audience are older and more vulnerable. The point at which positivity and determination are perceived as bravado and recklessness is blurred, but beyond which, is when people with genuine concerns become alienated.` I think you have the balance right.
I recall the story of a rookie engineering officer in WW2 inspecting the sortie damage on returning Lancasters to determine how much punishment they could take. His senior officer pointed out that the most damning information lay with the ones who never came back.