AMRM News

COVID-19 Lockdown

The COVID-19 lockdown has affected the exhibition and convention side of the hobby quite severely, with, to the best of our knowledge most, if not all, 2020 exhibitions and conventions cancelled, Australia-wide. This is understandable, even for exhibitions/conventions scheduled for the latter half of the year, as the organisational lead times and funds needing to be put ‘up front’ are considerable, especially for the larger exhibitions. With the ongoing uncertainty as to when the restrictions on gatherings and travel will be lifted, it is only prudent to not take unnecessary (and potentially bankrupting for most organiser clubs) risks. It certainly looks like there will be no exhibitions/conventions in 2020, but, hopefully, things will be back to ‘normal’ by 2021.

Hobby shops and local producers report that ‘over the counter’ sales have all but disappeared, but that mail order has (for some, at least) significantly increased to at least partially make up for lost sales. It appears that the hardest hit are those ‘cottage’ producers depentent on exhibitions to generate sales and who don’t have an online or magazine advertising ‘presence’ to allow mail order trading. Perhaps there is a lesson there…

AMRM (so far) has not been greatly affected by the lockdown. Our editorial staff already produce the magazine from home (and have done so for years), so production of the magazine has not been affected too much. ‘Social distancing’ measures have been put in place at our main office for those and section that has become apparent over the last couple of issues as things on the commercial scene quieten down, there has been little effect on the magazine’s content (so far).