Safety first for SCA UK

With the whole of the hospitality sector and coffee community facing unprecedented challenges in enduring and reopening after the Covid-19 pandemic and shutdown, SCA UK Coffee Championships has announced delaying all competitions until the 2022 season commences.

Following the recommendations of medical experts, large events have been cancelled or put on indefinite hold. The 2020 season of the SCA UK Championships had been partially completed before lockdown with champions named in the UKBC, UK Brewers Cup, UK Coffee in Good Spirits and UK Cup Tasters championships. The cancelled UK Latte Art and UK Coffee Roasters championships have now been postponed until 2021 with further details to be announced as soon as possible. In addition, the current 2020 champions positions in the World Coffee Championships has been deferred to allow them to compete in 2021.

Rob Ward, SCA UK Chapter National Coordinator, said, “Firstly, we want to thank the whole community – including competitors, judges, volunteers, and sponsors – who have contributed their thoughts, ideas and expertise while we took the time to consider all options. We know this is a hard decision for some to hear, and want everyone to know it was one taken very seriously by all involved.

“The SCA UK Chapter and its sponsors will not be running the 2021 season of championships. We will be recommencing the competition cycle for the 2022 championships. These championships will start with heats, etc. in the second half of next year. A year without SCA UK coffee championships feels like a long time. However, we believe this will give us, our sponsors, and those involved, time to take stock, put on new community events, make changes, and look at things differently following these exceptional circumstances. 

“The SCA UK will be working with our sponsors to create events, virtual or otherwise, to build up to the 2022 SCA UK Coffee Championships and make our chapter stronger and ready for whatever the future holds. We will also be looking at how we can make all competitions, and indeed the SCA UK organisation as a whole, more inclusive, diverse, fairer and equitable. To hopefully better represent the community which we exist to serve.”

The 2022 competition season is expected to begin in late 2021. More information is available at scauk.coffee.