APF 2020 EXHIBITION POSTPONED

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Due to the ongoing uncertainties surrounding Covid 19 the Directors of APF 2020 have announced that they have taken the difficult decision to postpone the event this year.

The revised plan is to roll forward the forestry machinery show which was due to take place at Ragley Estate from September 24-26 this year, to the same venue on 23/24/25th September 2021.

On their website the organisers listed all the reasons why they felt they must reschedule the event until next year. These included:

• The current ban on mass gatherings is still in place with no indication of if or when this restriction will be lifted.
• Recognising that exhibitors need to order stock and equipment for the show, much of which has a three month lead time and avoid the risk of exhibitors buying stock for the show which is then cancelled at short notice.
• The potential lack of availability of nearby hotel accommodation for APF staff.
• The proposed restrictions and quarantining of anyone visiting the UK will severely affect exhibitors, their staff and visitors from abroad being able to attend.
• Social distancing rules making it very hard for exhibitors to engage with visitors safely.
• Not to place an unnecessary potential strain on local emergency services by holding a mass gathering and recognising that currently police, ambulance and St John Ambulance are not attending any such events, with no indication of when they might do so.

Exhibition secretary, Ian Millward is quoted on the show's website, saying, "It is with a very heavy heart that we made this decision, but taking all of the above into account it became obvious that there was only one sensible option and that was to postpone until September 2021.

"The show is the industry flagship event and everyone in the organising team is passionate about the show and want to make it the best we possibly can. We simply cannot stage the event this year to the size and quality our exhibitors, sponsors, visitors and ourselves want. We sincerely hope that in 12 months time the world will have returned to something much closer to normal and we can run the event as we and everyone else want.

"Although the decision to postpone will impact financially, we remain in a robust financial position and exhibitors will not lose their site fees. We will roll these forward to APF 2021. Any visitors who have already bought advance tickets can either carry forward their tickets to APF 2021 or request a refund."

The show is a biannual event and after APF 2021 orgainsers say they will continue with this two-year cycle so the next event would be 2023 then 2025 etc.