黑洞社区

Companies that had booked accommodation and event passes for next week鈥檚 postponed Mipim face being on the hook for thousands of pounds each after the event was shifted to June.

On Saturday, Mipim organiser Reed Midem was forced to postpone the property show in Cannes until early summer after the French government banned gatherings of 5,000 people or more to contain the spread of coronavirus.

But firms which had been due to attend are now facing big losses after being told they are unlikely to get the money back they have shelled out for this year鈥檚 event.

One source said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e spent 拢5,000 on an apartment and more than 拢20,000 on event passes for our staff. At the moment, we don鈥檛 think we鈥檒l be getting any of our money back.鈥�

The event has been moved to 2-5 June 鈥� the same time as the Midem music show, organised by the same firm and also taking place in Cannes.

In an email seen by 黑洞社区 and sent by New London Architecture, which organises the London Stand at the Mipim event, exhibitors and visitors are told: 鈥淥ur working assumptions (as yet unverified) are that Reed Midem will not be offering refunds in respect of stands and delegate passes but transferring these to the new show.

鈥淲e also assume that ourselves and our clients will be liable for all additional costs incurred to date (including travel, staff time, accommodation, expenses, marketing collateral and any associated costs) as well as similar costs attributable to attending the postponed event on 2-5 June.鈥�

The source added firms were now looking for a goodwill gesture from Reed Midem, especially if they were unable to make the June date which is being held in the same month as a number of other property and architecture events including the British Council of Offices鈥� annual conference in Toronto, scheduled for between 10-12 June, while the London Festival of Architecture takes place throughout the whole of June.

鈥淢aybe they could give us a substantial reduction or charge half price for next year,鈥� the source said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e facing a big bill for nothing through no fault of our own. It鈥檚 a complete mess.鈥�

Last night, the organiser of the annual Cycle to Mipim event, which has so far raised 拢235,000 out of a 拢400,000 target for children鈥檚 charity Coram, confirmed that it has been postponed 鈥� after earlier speculation that the ride, which attracts hundreds of participants and was due to set off from London this Thursday, would still go ahead.

Club Peloton said it had taken the 鈥渧ery difficult decision to postpone [because] the welfare of riders and support crew is always our number one priority鈥�.