As we all have adjusted to a ‘new normal’ during lockdown and with restrictions starting to ease, we wanted to talk about what this might mean for the event industry and how the team at Royal Museums of Greenwich are busy preparing our venues to welcome guests safely back in the near future. 

The "new normal"

This has become the catchphrase of the hour, replacing the phrase ‘flatten the curve’. However, none of us really know what this ‘new normal’ will mean to our everyday lives yet. 

One thing is certain however, the events industry is undergoing a change and whether this is for the foreseeable or forever remains to be seen. In the meantime though, we have some plans up our sleeve to ensure that events and celebrations will continue, just in a slightly different way!

Virtual events

Without a doubt, there has been a surge in virtual events, webinars and online meetings over the last couple of months.

Whether you’re doing an gym class, networking via a virtual coffee morning, seeing your family over a weekly quiz or signing into a webinar to keep up to date with the latest news updates, we have all become far more confident in this arena. 

It is expected that, in the short term at least, this will not diminish. Yet, the lockdown has proved, we all still have an innate need for human contact, which events undoubtedly provide.

We don’t want to have relationships, do business or meet new people virtually. We want to be face-to-face.

This means that the events industry will inevitably bounce back and by then the value of physical events will be even more important. When this finally can happen, even more than before, interesting venues, engaging content and memorable experiences will be sought after.

This is where we will come in - with 5 venues set across a UNESCO World Heritage site and with expansive outdoor grounds, Royal Museums Greenwich, will knock virtual meetings out of the park!

Hybrid events

Virtual venue tours, 360 degree venue viewing and digital interaction has been key to engaging with our clients during this time, as well as with our regular daytime museum visitors. This area is likely to grow and the team are therefore already preparing to offer Hybrid Events across all of our venues. 

Event TSL have already created packages to offer our wedding clients, whose family and friends can no longer attend, where the couple can stream their wedding and interact with their guests virtually from our venues.

On the corporate side, Event Concept have proposals available for clients who want to stream their meetings and conferences to larger and/or international audiences. 

Hybrid events will offer benefits of an original event with added technological enhancement. 

Sunset and sunrise weddings

Weddings may have been cancelled and postponed over the last few months but we say that love is never cancelled. 

In fact, we are delighted that all our couples have been happy to postpone to a later date and we cannot wait to celebrate with them later in the year. 

For couples who are keen to proceed when they are able, albeit with slight alterations to their day or fewer attendees, we are thrilled to be able to offer sunrise and sunset weddings at the Royal Observatory.

Perfect for the more intimate ceremony, couples are able to wed with a majestic historic backdrop and watch the sunrise or set as they make their wedding vows.  

Outdoor events

With five venues, each offering outside space we hope to be able to move many events that would have been internal into our outdoor areas to enable social distancing and lots of fresh air.

Find out about the options available for outdoor events.

Socially distant events 

It looks like social distancing will be around for a while and although that sounds scary for the events world, we’ve been busy working hard on putting together some event guidelines and plans that will allow us to operate events in as safe and hygienic way.

We are working with our key suppliers, in particular our caterers, to provide catering options, including ‘Socially Distant Canapés’ and a special ‘Pan Venue Menu’ from Party Ingredients. 

Current event capacities likely to be reduced and once government guidelines are confirmed, we will announce new venue capacities, different set up options and even launch some brand new event spaces. 

Working with our cleaning teams, a comprehensive cleaning and disinfecting schedule around all our venues to keep our staff, clients and guests safe will be issued.

This will include regular disinfecting of service areas throughout events, sanitising stations, the use of Personal Protective Equipment where appropriate and of course the thorough cleaning of furniture prior and post use. 

To the future

As we continue to put more procedures into place, we will work with our dedicated event suppliers and clients to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone is our considered at every stage. This is a challenging time, certainly the most challenging anyone in the Royal Museums Greenwich events team has ever seen and with over 70 years of experience between us, we are not taking the situation lightly!

We look forward to the time when we can all get back to doing what we do best. 

In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and stay sane. We will meet again.

The Events Team at Royal Museums Greenwich