July deadline for decision on SIBS

British Marine will decide whether to go ahead with Southampton International Boat Show in July. Until then, the trade association which organises the event is taking a ‘wait and see’ approach.

“The only win in cancelling SIBS would be to take it out of peoples’ consciousness,” says Dean Smith, Commercial Director, “to remove a potential distraction.”

He’s vowed British Marine will be ‘super flexible’ with what they provide in September if the event goes ahead and says: “It might not look like SIBS as we know it or have the same volume of visitors, but we’ll do what we can.”

The team has been holding conversations with relevant parties in Southampton and Hampshire to discuss potential changes. Smith’s keen to make sure that the option is there for as long as possible.

“There could be a lot of new confidence in September with a pent-up desire to talk about boats,” he says.

“To make a decision, we’ve given ourselves a July deadline for a go, or no go. That aligns with the next payment date for those that want to attend. The deposits already paid are all ring fenced, all normal T&Cs apply. We’ll work towards finding a solution. With that timeline, no one should experience any significant costs other than their time in planning if we don’t go ahead.”

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