Normally when we report news about TNPS parent company StreetLib, it is clearly labelled as such and we reproduce the press release without further comment.

I’ll make an exception here, however, as the news ties in to other TNPS coverage of and commentary about the London Book Fair and the Coronavirus crisis.

The decision, in the end, was not about business or economics but about moral and social responsibility.

I’ll let the StreetLib press release explain:

StreetLib Announcement — London Book Fair

With regret we have to announce that StreetLib will not be attending the London Book Fair this year as planned.

Although we are based in Italy, we are not in the Coronavirus affected area, and there has been no government advice that we should not travel.

But after careful consideration, we have concluded that it would be both morally and socially irresponsible for our team to fly to London, a city of 8 million people, and spend three days in a confined space with up to 25,000 people from around the world in the middle of a fast-growing global health crisis.

As a digital-first company we will be reaching out to all our existing and prospective clients and contacts to try arrange online engagement to make up for our absence at the event.

Thank you for your understanding,

The StreetLib Team.

As this post goes live the cancellations are coming in thick and fast as publishers, agents and other exhibitors and visitors vote with their feet.