BIGGA has announced their decision this morning (Friday 17th December) to postpone its major exhibition and trade show, the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME), which was due to take place in January 2022.

In an official statement BIGGA said taking into consideration the uncertainty regarding the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the National Board of Management of the association convened on the evening of Thursday 16 December and made the unanimous decision to delay the exhibition and associated education programme, Continue to Learn, which are held at the Harrogate Convention Centre in North Yorkshire.

The new dates for BTME 2022 will be Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 March 2022, with Continue to Learn taking place from Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 March 2022.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton will take to Facebook Live at 2pm this afternoon (Friday 17 December) to provide further clarification regarding the decision and to answer any questions relating to the postponement. Head to the BIGGA Facebook page, to get involved.

Jim said, “The uncertainty regarding the Omicron wave of coronavirus has led us to engage in consultation with key stakeholders and consider contingency courses of action for our flagship event, BTME. We know all sides of the industry are keen for the show to take place and after due consideration of all options the BIGGA National Board of Management, working closely with BIGGA’s team of staff, has taken the decision to postpone BTME until March 2022.

“It is heartening to see the success of the booster vaccination programme, but we are committed to running a safe show for all attendees and with all the information available to us, we do not believe this would be possible in January 2022.

“This decision has not been taken lightly and has involved an incredible amount of logistical organisation to make a postponement possible. I am grateful to all of the key stakeholders that make BTME possible for their rapid responses to our decision, which has enabled us to confirm the postponement as early as today.

“Our thanks go to those who have supported BIGGA in this decision and we are excited to be hosting the full BTME and Continue to Learn experience in March 2022.”

Attendees who have signed up for the show will automatically be registered for the new dates. Continue to Learn bookings will also be carried over and BIGGA will be in contact with everyone who has booked a place on the education programme in the coming days to discuss arrangements further.

BIGGA acknowledges that this postponement will present challenges to many exhibitors and visitors to BTME and say the team is committed to assisting all those who need support to transfer their commitments.

The BIGGA National Board of Management is the elected body of BIGGA members from across the country whose voluntary role is to provide strategic direction and ratify key decisions on behalf of the association. They are supported by a network of volunteers at all levels of BIGGA and the core BIGGA staff team.

Anyone who requires further information or assistance as to the postponement of BTME is encouraged to contact BIGGA.