The Bristol Hi-Fi Show, the UK’s biggest event of its kind, has been cancelled for 2021 as the organisers said the COVID-19 situation is “looking bleak for the winter”.
“It is pretty clear that an event such as ours, with all the close contact it involves, just wouldn’t be possible,” organisers said.
In addition, the Marriott Hotel in Bristol, where the event is held, is still currently closed.
A post on the Bristol Show Facebook page said: “Due to the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing pandemic, we have made the difficult decision not to host the Bristol Show 2021. We are currently looking at options to host a virtual event, so watch this space!”
Jerry Lewin, Director of hi-fi retailer, Audio T, which organises the Bristol Show, said he was looking at the possibility of a virtual show of some kind – if technically possible to do so – and “at an appropriate level of quality for our visitors”.
He told ERT: “Currently we are looking at what we could do online. However, as most of them come, obviously, to listen to the products, it is hard to see what exactly they would gain from a virtual event, other than hearing news about the latest products.”
Mr Lewin said he and his team plan to bring the Show back in 2022 at the usual time of year.
The Bristol Hi-Fi Show took place as normal this year, before the country was hit by the wider restrictions of COVID-19. Read ERT’s review of the 2020 here.
