Following last week’s announcement that the 2020 British MotoGP round at Silverstone would be cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the British Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) has issued a statement confirming that the nine-day Motorcycle Live event, scheduled to take place at Birmingham’s NEC in November, will not take place either.
In a statement, the MCIA said: “It is with regret, that following an extensive and detailed consultation with the major stakeholders of Motorcycle Live, the MCIA Board of Directors has agreed to postpone this year’s Motorcycle Live until 2021.
“As you will no doubt appreciate, this decision has not been taken lightly and has been exclusively based on our concern for public safety and the wellbeing of our industry colleagues.
“Operating an event such as Motorcycle Live under Covid-19 related restrictions that include social distancing requirements, possible restrictions on attendance numbers and limited access, was an additional consideration. Ultimately, it was decided that the negative effects on our visitors’ experience and associated damage to the reputation of the event could not be justified.
“Motorcycle Live is all about audience interaction, fun and social engagement. This is graphically demonstrated by the number of features and visitor activities and to diminish that experience, while potentially placing visitors and staff at risk, would be irresponsible and socially unacceptable.”
Motorcycle Live is renowned for its packed crowds and show boss Finlay McAllan confirmed that the show would not be viable with restrictions on numbers, adding: “Being unable to deliver Motorcycle Live unaffected by the Covid-19 situation in any way was not practical or achievable. The whole team is extremely disappointed but look forward to delivering Motorcycle Live again in 2021”.
Chief Executive of the MCIA, Tony Campbell concluded: “The MCIA Board is very disappointed with having to reach this decision, but in the current climate we all felt it was the right thing to do. Motorcycle Live is the industry showcase and to deliver a compromised event was in no one’s interest. Public safety and that of the industry team was our first consideration”
The nine day event has been a cornerstone of Carole Nash’s event calendar for many years and Rebecca Donohue, Head of Marketing at Carole Nash, added: “We fully support this decision, no matter how disappointing it is. This is a strange and difficult time for everyone and naturally we are sad, but not surprised, that Motorcycle Live has been postponed this year. Attending events up and down the country, to meet our customers, is a big part of what we do at Carole Nash and obviously this has not been possible since March. We look forward to 2021, when hopefully we can enjoy a full calendar of biking and specialist vehicle events, but in the meantime we remain open for business and committed to providing our customers with the very best service from our UK and Irish call centres.”
Despite the cancellation of Motorcycle Live 2020, the MCIA remains focussed on promoting the industry and has recently introduced a campaign to promote the benefits of motorcycles and scooters to commuters looking to escape public transport, while Motorcycle Live 2021 is now scheduled to take place between 20-28 November 2021.
