Hey everyone.
Showmasters have announced today on their social media that due to coronavirus and social distancing restrictions still being in place, they've decided to push back this year's comic con convention which due to take place at the end of July to the 20th - 22nd of November.
This announcement comes as no surprise because until there is a vaccine or social distancing restrictions are lifted, any events that involve large public gatherings aren't going to be happening. It just isn't possible. It's the same reason why theatre's can't re-open or music concerts and festivals can't take place, they simply will not be able to maintain a high enough capacity to be able to make the event worthwhile.
The team at showmasters are feeling optimistic for November and hope that they will be able to do what they hoped for in the summer a little later, but with a second wave of coronavirus predicted to hit around September time I wonder if they should be feeling so optimistic.
Thousands of people attend these events every year, and although Kensington Olympia is a big building it's not that big to maintain social distancing to a satisfactory level, not with the amount of people that attend these events in their thousands. How exactly are people supposed to keep their distance and avoid crowds?
There's also a matter of hygiene, people / staff at the stalls dealing and handling cash, food and drink stalls will have to keep to social distancing restrictions of only allowing no more than three people at one time, fortunately most of these things are take away only so it shouldn't cause too much of an issue. The ques for the toilet are going to be ludicrous.
Guests attending who have booked a photo shoot probably won't get a handshake or a hug with some of their favourite stars and probably won't be allowed to stand too close to them. Autograph ques will likely be longer.
Things could change by then of course, and November is a little while away yet.
I'm not convinced from what was said today and weighing up with the current statistics and the facts of coronavirus that this years event will be as safe and as good to attend as previous years. If this was the plan all along why didn't they just announce this sooner. That being said, this is the news that has been said and we're just going to have to take it as it is.
See the full announcement here. >> Full Announcement
