COVID-19 delays ICE 2021 until April

Clarion Gaming has issued an ‘advanced notice’ to industry incumbents and stakeholders confirming that its flagship ICE London show will be moved to April in 2021. 

Managing Director Kate Chambers stated that the decision had been undertaken following ‘discussions with the market’, after which it became clear that concerns remained attached to COVID-19 impacts should the exhibition maintain its traditional early February dates.

 “As the Clarion Gaming brands exist to satisfy the needs of the market – exhibitors, delegates and speakers – we have moved the 2021 dates to April 20/21/22 once again at the ExCeL London Exhibition Centre,” she said in the statement. 

Maintaining its conference at London’s Docklands Excel Centre, Clarion Gaming has yet to publish details on how it will alter the conference’s capacity and exhibitor requirements for health and safety purposes.

UK trade exhibitions are currently overseen by MP Nigel Huddleston, the Heritage and Tourism Secretary reporting to DCMS.

At present all UK business exhibitions remain under lockdown, with venues classified alongside nightclubs, theatres, casinos and indoor music halls as the last venues to reopen. 

This June, the government formed working groups taking the advice of several UK departments on how to reopen venues safely for the general public while obeying social distancing orders.