Reed Exhibitions has canceled this year’s London book fair amidst concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus that cause COVID-19. The company released a statement via social media. The statement reads, “Reed Exhibitions has today announced that The London Book Fair 2020, scheduled to take place at Olympia, London, from 10 to 12 March will be canceled following the escalation of COVID-19 Coronavirus in Europe. The effects, actual and projected, of Coronavirus are becoming evident across all aspects of our lives here in the UK and across the world, with many of our participants facing travel restrictions. We have been following UK government guidelines and working with the rolling advice from the public health authorities and other organisations, and so it is with reluctance that we have taken the decision not to go ahead with this year’s event.
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“We recognise that business has to continue. With this in mind, we will of course support and collaborate with exhibitors and visitors to keep our world moving during this difficult period. We thank all those from the UK and a multitude of other countries who have prepared over the last year to deliver what promised to be a wonderful book fair showcasing, as ever, the exciting best of the global book industry. The London Book Fair will return, better than ever, in 2021.”
The London Book Fair is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. In 2020 LBF would have celebrated its 49-year anniversary. LBF sees more than 25,000 publishing professionals come to London for the week of the Fair to learn, network, and kick off their year of business.
— The London Book Fair (@LondonBookFair) March 4, 2020
COVID-19 has infected more than 90,000 worldwide and killed more than 3,000 of those infected. The spread of the COVID-19 has caused wide-scale disruption across the entertainment industry. WWE is monitoring the spread of the virus in Tampa Bay, Florida, the site of WrestleMania 36. Warner Bros. canceled the premiere of Superman: Red Son. Netflix is struggling to film Dwayne Johnson’s new movie, Red Notice. Disney delayed the Chinese premiere of its live-action Mulan movie indefinitely. The Game Developers Conference canceled its 2020 event after a series of company pullouts. Certain events are moving ahead undeterred for now, E3 and Emerald City Comic Con among them, despite Dark Horse Comics and DC pulling out of ECCC.
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