Fnurban #8 : The Show Will Go On ?

We've probably all wondered, in the past few months :  "when will 'normality' return?"

Well, while reading 'Miniature Wargames' issue 457 I noticed one signifcant straw in the wind for our hobby at least,  namely this:

Gosh - actual shows!

 

It seems that the wargames show 'circuit' is  preparing  to resume - no less than five shows planned, starting with Hammerhead, at Newark   at the end of July.  

As an example, the Hammerhead website says this: 

Update: 16th March 2021

With the speed of the Covid vaccination program, and the governments ‘road map’ aimed at delivering normality by 21st of June (remove all legal limits on social contact), we have every belief that Hammerhead 2021 will be ‘good to go’ on the 31st of July.

With nearly 4000 square metres of space across the two halls we have always been able to maintain plenty of space between tables at Hammerhead.  Because it will be a summer show this year, we can let plenty of ‘fresh air in’ and enable any ‘hands , face and space’ requirements to be fulfilled. We will be working closely with the staff at Newark Showground to create a safe environment in line with any government guidelines that may still remain applicable at the end of July.

So, how do you feel about that?  Desperate to get back to shows,  or a feeling a bit cautious about large gatherings?   For myself,  I am hoping to get a second vaccine jab, perhaps this month,  but how will I actually feel about going back to indoor venues?  I have to admit, I really don't know. There are likely to be stages, I suppose - getting back on public transport, going to a restaurant or pub, going to a gallery, or cinema, perhaps?   I suspect that a full-on wargames show is going to be one of the final stages, and there will be a lot of  'seeing how it goes',  in my case! I'm afraid  I am not one of the people champing at the bit to 'get out there' as much as possible when the restrictions are lifted. I'm much more cautious,  and I'll be keeping an eye on the infection statistics. 

The last three shows on the list are the ones I might be most interested in - 'Salute' in mid-November would be real in-at-the-deep-end stuff!  ( they already have a long list of expected traders on their website ) . Given that the  ExCel venue  was used as a 'Nightingale' Hospital in case of Covid cases overwhelming the National Health Service, and latterly as a Covid vaccination centre, there may be some interesting echoes around the place.   I note that 'Warfare' and 'Broadsword' both have new venues - the former seems to have swapped racecourses and moved to Ascot, the latter from a sports hall in my childhood home town of Sittingbourne, to a ( hopefully a bit bigger ) sports hall in Gillingham.    In the summer, Broadsword used to open all the fire doors to increase ventilation - not so sure about that in December,  so let's hope the aircon is good..   More signifcantly,  how will the virus be going by then?  Can we rule out a 'third wave' in the winter?  The news here in Britain is currently good, but if you look at other parts of the world, you can see that this thing is by no means over.  I guess we can only wait and see. Meanwhile keep well, and safe, everyone, and maybe we'll see those shows.