Swindon & Wiltshire News
Swindon expo cancelled due to heatwave forecast
Great British Expos has announced the postponement of next week’s South West Expo in Swindon due to the extreme temperatures forecast for the region.
The event, which was expected to welcome hundreds of business owners, entrepreneurs and decision-makers from across the South West to Steam Museum, Swindon, has now been rescheduled to Thursday, November 26.
Organisers say the decision was made following a comprehensive health and safety assessment, which concluded that the venue would be unable to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the anticipated volume of exhibitors, delegates, speakers and staff during the forecast conditions.
While outside temperatures are expected to reach around 30°C, it is anticipated that temperatures inside the exhibition hall could exceed 36°C, making it unsuitable to safely host an event of this scale.
Great British Expos has previously introduced industrial air conditioning units during periods of warm weather.
However, due to the size and layout of the Steam Museum, these have proved insufficient in maintaining suitable conditions.
Alec Jones-Hall, director of Great British Expos, said: “This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, particularly given the amount of work that has gone into organising the event and the enthusiasm from exhibitors and delegates.
“However, the safety and wellbeing of everyone attending must always come first.
“We explored every available option, but with the forecast temperatures and the limitations of the venue, we simply could not guarantee a safe and comfortable environment.
“Rather than compromise the experience or the welfare of those attending, postponing the event was the responsible decision.”
All exhibitor bookings and delegate registrations will automatically be transferred to the new date, with organisers contacting attendees directly.
The South West Expo will still feature many of its planned keynote speakers, expert-led workshops and over 90 exhibitors, bringing together businesses from across the region for a day focused on collaboration, innovation and growth.
Great British Expos has been delivering regional business exhibitions across the UK for more than 13 years and has welcomed over 70,000 SMEs to its events.
