UPDATE TUE 23 FEB 2021 ….THE WAY FORWARD
Having previously cancelled all the workshops before Easter, we’ve been waiting for the Government announcement yesterday to see what the plan would be. Unfortunately for us it looks like we can’t unlock our doors and run any workshops until hospitality is allowed to reopen up on 17th May at the earliest.
We are now fully equipped with protocols and equipment that will allow us to to run and keep everyone safe so, we’re itching to get our doors open as soon as we are legally able to.
However, with 70 courses scheduled before the 17 May that can’t legally go ahead, we’ve got a monstrous admin task on our hands again. So please bear with us – we are trying to navigate our way through the latest developments and formulate a plan of action for everyone. We’ll be emailing customers who’s workshops cannot go ahead with options and a way forward within the next week to 10 days.
For everyone else, roll on 17 May – we’ll be there with the door open and the coffee pot on!
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…the story so far…
Sadly, due to the pandemic, all ArtisOn’s 2020 workshops have been rescheduled to 2021. All bookings have been transferred and new 2021 dates have been communicated to all involved. The rescheduled dates are all now listed on the Workshops page and there are some places still available.
Gift Vouchers with expiry dates will all be honoured for an additional 12 months and any new vouchers purchased will also be valid for 24 months from purchase.
Months in the planning, our 2020 programme was our biggest ever. With so many of you setting your alarm clocks back in October in order to grab your places, we also had our highest ever level of advanced bookings. Only 5 weeks into the 2020 programme and lockdown meant we were forced to stop 94 events going ahead before the summer. In July, following consultation with all 48 tutors participating in the autumn, we took the very difficult decision to postpone all dates scheduled for the rest of the year.
If you wish to understand more about our situation and the reasons for this decision, read on. If you you have bookings, look out for email updates in case of any changes. If not, you can join our email list at the bottom of the contact page here.
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WHY POSTPONE?
Though we had plans in place for general operational and building changes that would allow us to be Covid Secure from September. When we consulted with all the tutors due to teach, the specific detailed issues relating to individual tutor’s workshops emerged and some we could not overcome. In addition, some tutors were unable to return to a teaching environment, due to shielding themselves or loved ones. The result was that less than 60% of the 100 planned workshops could go ahead, leaving gaping, unmanageable, holes in the autumn schedule. Combined with this, we predicted significant further impact from Test and Trace and disruption from local lockdowns as the winter progressed.
Our primary concern has always been the safety, confidence and comfort of tutors and customers. A very close second, is that we are able to provide the pleasure, relaxation and enjoyment which everyone wants when they book a day at ArtisOn. Some of the measures needed now will simply undermine this enjoyment.
All in all, the risks and unknowns that could further derail what is a quite carefully calibrated and intense schedule of events, combined with the reduced overall enjoyment of the experience, meant we decided it was best to postpone the autumn as we had done for the spring.
Thank you again for bearing with us. Hopefully this at least provides some certainty about your bookings for the rest if the year and gives everyone something to look forward to in 2021.
Just to confirm, any gift vouchers issued now, will not expire until the end of 2022. Existing gift vouchers due for expiry will all also be honoured until the end of 2022.
Please stay safe and well.
Best wishes, Gaynor & Sue
