Issue 51 October/November 2011 £4.75
Festivals report a great year
Agents hold key to the best artistes By Christina Eccles FESTIVAL organisers have been advised to form trustworthy relationships with booking agents to ensure they secure the most relevant artistes for their events. A panel of organisers and agents joined forces for a conference at London’s South Bank Centre to share top tips with delegates looking to book acts for festivals. Among the speakers was John Empson, organiser of the annual Eden Sessions at Cornwall attraction The Eden Project. And he said that for the relationship between organisers and agents to work, it is important to establish what acts will fit well with the event you are staging. He explained: “You have to build that level of trust with an agent and establish does the show work for the artiste. “It’s also about knowing your region and audience. Cornwall has a very different audience to London. “You have to establish a strong identity, be committed and hold your nerve. Then it’s easy to tell agents what’s great about your event.” Organiser of Leefest, Lee Denny was also on the panel and he added
the team behind his festival would never pay vast amounts of money for world famous headline acts – instead preferring to focus on up and coming bands. He added: “We don’t want to go boom and bust. Strong brand identity is important to us, not headline artistes. We have a very modest amount of money we can throw at headliners. “We have a core group who come to us who love the event. I’m in favour of start small and grow from there.” Glastonbury booker Martin Elbourne – who also works on festivals including Guilfest and Jersey Live – added: “The hardest thing for us is saying no to people. Everyone wants to play at the festival. Friday is the worst day at Glastonbury because the newcomers stick to the main two stages. After that they realise there is another festival out there and go and look at different acts.” The panel, which also included Anke Link from CODA Agency and Paula Henderson who books acts for the WOMAD festival, advised a good way to get to know agents is to invite them to come and look around your event and see how it could fit with the artistes they work with.
MANY of the UK’s most popular independent festivals have reported a great year – with some selling out for the first time and others at record speed. AIF members Secret Garden Party, Camp Bestival, Green Man, Creamfields and Bestival all sold out this year, alongside boutique festivals Kendal Calling and End of the Road which all sold out in record time. Womad also had a 30 per cent increase in sales over last year. AIF co-founder Ben Turner said: "In what is clearly a troublesome year for the UK in general, it is incredible that so many of the independent festivals have sold out or had record years for ticket sales. “I think it shows that people are finding warmth and inspiration from the more creative end of the festival sector. This year’s Bestival was the best yet, according to organisers who are already looking to next year. Audiences were treated to sets from, among others, Kelis (pictured), The Cure and Bjork and promoter Rob da Bank said this year’s acts provided some of the most incredible performances ever seen at the show. Early bird tickets are now on sale for Bestival 2012, available via a payment plan which lets festivalgoers spread the cost.
“The love being put in by our promoters is being sent back by consumers voting with their feet." How did your festival do this year? Let us know by emailing ce@whpl.net or contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463.
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Showman’s Show Preview starts on Page 17
Local Authority Spotlight The Big Chill
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Fairport Convention New Products & Services Classified
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CONTACTS
Tattoo crowds wowed by visuals THE Projection Studio wowed the crowds at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo by beaming spectacular visuals on to the walls of the city’s historic castle. The Royal Navy was the Tattoo's lead service this year, so many of the visual materials related to the sea – including giant sea dragons,
fishing boats, shipwrecks and rich selection of aquatic life and history. The Tattoo had a new chief executive and producer, Brigadier David Allfrey, who embraced the impact that can be created by using large format projections at an event. The Projection Studio’s Ross Ashton said: "Working with
David has been refreshing and very invigorating. He has brought a new direction and energy to the whole performance, and really appreciates what high technical production values can bring to the show and make the whole guest experience so much more special and memorable.”
Event to mark Titanic anniversary By Christina Eccles A SPECTACULAR free event will take over the streets of Liverpool next April to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Leading street theatre company Royal De Luxe (RDL) will produce a A Little Girl Giant, working with Liverpool City Council to pull together an extravaganza to welcome the giant, which has only been seen once before in the UK when she wowed 1.5m people in London at the Sultan’s Elephant event in 2006. Over the weekend an event – the most complex the city has ever staged – will take over Liverpool, telling a story inspired by the Titanic, which is set to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The collaboration is the latest involving Liverpool City Council and exceptional artists, following the success of La Machine, which took over the city in 2008 by bringing La Princesse (a 50 foot spider) to the streets. In July, 3D experts The Macula from the Czech Republic also transformed the Liver Building by projecting images on to it, marking its centenary. Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan said: “One of the major successes of our European Capital of Culture year was filling the programme with moments of sheer magic, bringing together thousands of visitors and residents, sparking the imagination and getting people talking about art and culture. “As a city, we put on exceptional
free events and no matter what walk of life you’re from, you can experience something which transports you to another world – this is what great art achieves. “There is still a massive appetite for these boundary-pushing events, and as events don’t come much bigger than the Sea Odyssey we know it will once again thrust Liverpool into the cultural spotlight. “This is a human story of love told in giant form and it won’t just engage the city, but will capture the imagination of the nation. And I’m sure, just as with The Sultan’s Elephant, people will talk about it for years to come.” Liverpool is one of five Titanic cities holding events in 2012, alongside Belfast, Southampton, Cherbourg and Co. Cork.
EDITORIAL Group Editor Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 editorial@themaineventmagazine.co.uk Reporters: Christina Eccles (ce@whpl.net) Dominic Musgrave (dm@whpl.net)
PRODUCTION Studio Manager: Stewart Holt (sth@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734414 Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston (jhalkerston@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734458 Graphic designer: Laura Blackburn (lb@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734711
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Mark Cavendish cycles to victory at the end of the first stage of the Tour or Britain at Dumfries.
Cyclists draw the crowds in Peebles THOUSANDS of supporters filled Peebles High Street to get a close look at the 96 riders and the large accompanying cavalcade at the start of the Tour of Britain. Stuart Turner, events director for EventScotland, said the number of cycling events taking place in Scotland is growing each year and the interest in the sport is increasing both in participation and spectator numbers. He added: “From the local cycling club leading out the riders to the local traders with their window dressing and ‘big breakfast’ offers it seemed that everyone was involved. “This year saw the first ‘tour ride’ participation event taking place in Scotland which ran over the route the weekend before. “This development, together with the welcome addition of a local exhibition criterium race and the bonus of having the overall start of the race this year, leads us to expect that the event will bring an even greater economic benefit to Scotland than the £0.88m it achieved in 2009.”
Tom Porter, Lake of Stars festival
Music festival aims to change perceptions about Malawi By Christina Eccles THE founders of a music festival in Malawi have revealed the secrets of organising a successful event abroad. Tom Porter, who works alongside founder Will Jameson to deliver the Lake of Stars festival, spoke to delegates at a conference in London organised by the Association of Independent Festivals and the British Council. As part of his talk, he revealed more about how sponsorship and stakeholders fit in to the festival and how the event as a whole benefits the local community. Tom said: “Our mission is to promote Malawian tourism and culture and challenge people to see the country differently. “We talk to sponsors not about putting a banner up for three days at the festival but getting
involved year round. “We believe the festival is a beneficial project and are booking beds in Malawi through our efforts – one bed booked can feed a family of 10. It’s not just about arts and music. It’s about the other projects that plug into that, for example the local health authority had an outreach day at the festival.” The total cost of staging the festival stands at about £300,000, so sponsors are a key part of making it happen. And Tom added it is important that those who get involved in the event engage with festivalgoers and add value to the festival and the community rather than just lending their name to it. He added: “When we go to sponsors, we have to be able to demonstrate shared value and that if they get involved in our project, they will benefit from our media coverage.
“We also have impact statistics and the story of the festival engages people which helps.” Tom also offered advice to any other organisers who are looking to attract sponsors for their festival. His tips included creating wristbands with logos on which are handed out to festivalgoers and are an attractive option for brands, as well as getting to know your audience well enough to establish which brands would fit well with their interests. “We want to show that the development of the African continent can be done by means other than handouts. “We have had global media coverage and people who have been to the festival have said it is a lifetime experience. “We are giving people something to take away that is really special.”
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A panel of festival organisers gathered in London to discuss the ups and downs of staging an event. Among the topics up for debate was how to develop a festival identity. Christina Eccles found out more.
How to create unique festival identity ... THE panel – Glastonbury’s Ben Challis, founder of Glasgowbury Paddy Glasgow, co-founder of the End of the Road festival Sofia Haberg and WOMAD’s festivals and events director Chris Smith took to the stage at the Festival Visionaries masterclass, organised by the British Council and Association of Independent Festivals. The definition of ‘identity’ was agreed to be everything that a festival presents to the outside world – from the acts, to the site, to the decor and the food. Everything which adds to the festivalgoers’ experience of being at the event. But for Chris, the idea of identity was slightly different, as WOMAD takes place in a number of different countries around the world as well having a UK event. And he told delegates, that how the brand is perceived in the UK is very different to how people see it abroad. He explained: “Our brand is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Internationally the brand is seen quite differently to in the UK, where the perception of our brand is that we are a bunch of hippies in a field, swaying to world music. “Our biggest market is the UK but our biggest problem is the UK
to secure big name acts. Instead their brands are considered to be about up and coming talent and finding artistes which other festivals might not have. Chris added: “We are the only festival that makes the artistes cook for the audience. Music and art are part of our culture but food is very much a part of the experience. It's about the experience from the minute you enter to the minute you leave. It isn't about the headline artistes. “At WOMAD they don't expect to have heard of the artistes. We are trusted as a brand for people to respect the music we have put on.”
The panel “The challenge we have is to get a brand that works internationally because we have a product that works internationally. “[At each festival] We work in partnership to make sure there is a core of the festival that is international and part of it that is local and unique to that event.” Ben’s job as Glastonbury’s lawyer involves protecting the brand name
‘Identity comes from being creative and passionate about what you are doing ...’
of one of the most famous festivals in the world – something which is not always easy. He added: “12 years ago we registered Glastonbury and Glastonbury Festivals as trademarks and that has proved invaluable. “Michael is very protective and wants to protect his festival. We don't advertise. People come because they want to come to Glastonbury. “With Glastonbudget, we didn't mind, but they had to make it clear they weren't connected to us. When commercial companies try to use our name, we will take action.” When it comes to artistes, the panel agreed that they are not out
Sofia added: “We do have fans who are always waiting to see who the headliners are but we also have a hardcore audience – we sold 1,000 tickets for next year in five hours. We are very lucky that there are enough people out there who love what we love.” Paddy, who has grown Glasgowbury in Northern Ireland to a 5,000 capacity event believes the key to developing a strong festival identity is to love what you are doing. “Identity comes from being creative and passionate about what you are doing. We are a rural town of 1,400 people and we bring 5,000 people in so it's massive for the local economy. “Identity for us is giving local people opportunities. For us, people don't expect big stars. They come to see the stars of the future.”
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‘Technology will enhance events in next decade’
Organisers of the White Rose Winter Music Festival have revealed this year’s line up of performers. Acts taking to the stage will include critically acclaimed soprano Claire Ormshaw, pictured, tenor Nick Sales and winners of the Yorkshire’s Got Young Talent competition, Emma Hart and Ravi Patel. The festival takes place from November 17-19 at Harewood House.
By Dominic Musgrave
priorities ahead.
LIVE blogging, digital queue management and holographics are just some of the new technologies which will become the norm in events and conferences over the next 10 years, according to research from Meet Birmingham. The Event City of the Future report reveals how technology holds the key to making events more relevant, engaging and therefore able to deliver a tangible return on investment. It claims that in the next 10 years, technology will enhance not replace events and allow for greater interaction between delegates and exhibitors. However, according to research, 80 per cent of events organisers think technology is not currently being deployed as effectively as it could be in corporate conferencing and events and 70 per cent of those believe it is due to knowledge gap. Ian Taylor, commercial director at Marketing Birmingham, which manages the Meet Birmingham programme, said: “This report shows a sector that is undergoing a transformation amid rapid advances in business technology and greater scrutiny of the purpose of events and meetings. “It’s clear that the sector is not immune from the current challenging landscape, but the report shows that there is also consensus on the
“Closing the skills gap on technology and using it to engage will be critical to ensuring the industry remains a dynamic and significant driver of the UK economy over the next 10 years.” As well as enhancing events, technology also has a role to play in helping to deliver more efficient and cost effective events in light of tightening budgets. The report revealed a keen awareness of cost, at a time when every event has to demonstrate its value from attracting delegates right through to delivering on the bottom line. Event organisers said that delivering an effective and tangible ROI is the key success factor for the next 15 years and 61 per cent believe attendance levels, new business leads and generating new contacts will be the most important measures of success for their clients. Ian added: “Making the time spent in face-to-face events as relevant, engaging and cost-effective as possible will continue to be the key issue for those hosting events and conferences, but by developing more of an understanding of how technology can be deployed effectively, event organisers can use it to help organisations meet this challenge.”
Arena highlights events facilities Showsec has successfully completed the first of a five-year deal to provide event security services to Creamfields. The company won the contract following a competitive tender and it builds on over a decade of successful working partnership with the festival’s organisers. Showsec director Mark Logan said: “The five year contract means that we can have a truly joined-up approach with CI Events and Loud Sound. We’re not simply a security provider – we are part of the festival management team and as such can tweak methods and processes year-to-year, concentrate resources and allocate management solely to this project.”
BOLTON Arena has launched a downloadable brochure to highlight its events facilities to organisers. Featuring images, floor plans, technical information and details of the facilities and event support on offer, the brochure enables organisers to visualise exactly how their event will look and run at the venue.
Marketing and events executive Stephanie Whittingham said: “The brochure offers event buyers and organisers a clear picture of what they can expect when choosing Bolton Arena as their venue. Our experience of hosting both large and small scale events is clearly demonstrated.”
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Sense of community felt by festivalgoers highlighted in study By Christina Eccles FESTIVALGOERS experience a sense of community when attending events which they sometimes struggle to find in everyday life, a new study has claimed. Researchers from the universities of Bath, Birmingham and Southampton have studied how visitors feel about their experiences at major events and also the effect which corporate branding has on them. One of the main things the study found was how important events like Glastonbury are to those who attend them. Dr Andrew Bengry-Howell from the National Centre for Research Methods at the University of Southampton explained: “Lots of people drew comparisons between the sense of community they encountered at a music festival, and the lack of community they encountered in their everyday lives. “The experience of spending time with people who share their interest in music and festivals, and, for some, the experience of camping, going to sleep and waking up with people that they perceive to be like them. “Many also talked about festivals as something that they waited all year for, which provided an escape from their otherwise stressful lives and helped them to cope with the pressures of modern
day living.” The study also found that for many young people, corporate branding and sponsorship of music festivals was not a major cause of concern. In fact many visitors regarded it as a ‘necessary evil’ which secured the future of their favourite events. He added: “Despite becoming far more mainstream and corporate than prototypical festivals like Woodstock, the Glastonbury festivals of the 1970s, and the early National Jazz Festivals or the late 1950s/early 1960s, for many contemporary festivalgoers today’s music festivals still evoke feelings reminiscent of the ‘Summer of love’, and provide a sense of freedom and belonging within the temporary community that is produced on a music festival site. “Our research found that few noticed or were concerned about corporate sponsorship or how their consumption choices were being constrained. If anything the involvement of well-known companies and brands in music festivals had made these events seem less threatening and more accessible to a wide cross-section of people who identify with mainstream culture. “People came to festivals partly for the music, but mostly for a whole experience, which enabled them to escape from their daily lives and, in the case of events like Glastonbury, temporarily disappear into another world, which resembled a modern utopia.”
Artist and tour management specialist Extreme Music Production is celebrating 10 years in business this autumn. Founded by artist and tour manager George Allen, in the last 12 months EMP has represented acts including Marina and the Diamonds (pictured with George), The Magic Numbers and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. He is also working on The Mission’s 25th anniversary shows, having reformed the original members who have not played together since 1990. George is already now looking to the future and how to build on the last 10 years. He added: “I will continue to work hard, as I always have, and look towards expanding the management and label side of the business over the next two years.”
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LOCAL AUTHORITY SPOTLIGHT An event to celebrate Armed Forces Day proved not only to be the largest a county council had ever held but also the second biggest of its type nationwide. Dominic Musgrave reports ...
Saluting a 12-hour extravaganza THE day organised by the Buckinghamshire team at Aylesbury Rugby Club was only surpassed in size by the official national one in Edinburgh. Attracting a crowd of almost 10,000, it featured everything from a twohour air display and fair to a magician, demonstrations by celebrity chef Richard Fox and two live music stages that were headlined by boy band Blue. Other performances at the 12-hour extravaganza included local brass bands, choirs, a Dame Vera Lynn tribute act and even a heavy metal band. Charities such as the Royal British Legion were also invited to exhibit. Events and sponsorship officer Hannah Ladlow told Main Event the day took a committee of 25, made up of representatives from all of the armed forces and charities, almost a year to organise. She added: “It's the first thing that ourselves as a county council have really been involved with from the start and, previously we have just exhibited at the local community show and other similar events. “We've always been involved with Armed Forces Day and are very keen to contribute to it. Last year the Lord Lieutenant and chief executive asked us to put on a big event given that the county is the biggest defence employer in the country, whether it
be the two RAF bases or the company that makes parts for the planes. “It's no longer seen as a day of remembrance nowadays, but more about a celebration. It also recognises the Territorial Army and the families of those serving today as well as the veterans.” The event was the only other one as well as Edinburgh to receive funding for the day from the Ministry of Defence, while sponsors also played a key part in the day. Sir Terry Wogan, deputy lieutenant of the county, paid Blue's fee. Hannah added: “The rugby club provided the ideal venue because although it is fairly central it is out of town and there are six pitches as well
as surrounding fields that came in handy for car parking. “It was also the first time we really used Facebook and Twitter for an event, and it proved to play a massive part in making the day a massive success. “We took it to the next level in the week leading up to the day by regularly posting updates and photos from the venue. We got some great coverage on the back of it, both locally and nationally. “The only issue we had on the day was that Blue arrived 45 minutes late, which I'm sure is par for the course for a band, but it didn't stop me pacing around worriedly in front of a crowd of 200 screaming fans. We
weren't sure how popular they would be, but we had girls travelling from across the country to see them.” The team will not be holding an Armed Forces Day celebration next year, but a team of six, which includes three apprentices, has been set up to organise events to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. Hannah added: "We gained a lot of confidence from the summer's event and have put a team together to host a series of community events such as street parties. "Buckinghamshire will also host the rowing at the Olympics and is where the Paralympics were born, which is something we want to make the most of. "The three apprentices all have different skills. One has the task of developing our website, Facebook and Twitter, another is full of ideas and the third is an organiser."
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Production company overcomes challenges of Croatian festival THE technical director of a production company has revealed how he and colleagues helped to successfully deliver a music festival in Croatia. Whole Nine Yards Productions was contracted to provide production and overlay services to the Outlook Festival, which is split between Fort Punta Christo – a 19th Century abandoned fort – and a working harbour that was especially cleared for the event. Playing host to nine principal music stages and over 400 appearing artists the design, planning and coordination of the festival was a complex
project, according to technical director Ben Price. Ben was responsible for a crew of over 200 and charged with the planning, design, procurement and coordination of all overlay and technical infrastructure. Planning began with him and site managers Chris Sheppard and Sam Andrews making the first of a number of site visits to Pula to develop a comprehensive capital works programme to ensure that the venue was fit for purpose and could safely accommodate the numbers. One of the most challenging aspects
of the pre-production was the client’s desire to use a portion of the Fort’s moat as an audience arena. This required massive ground-works and the installation of structural overlay for audience and artist access. Ben said: “Delivering a nine stage festival with such a high volume of artists would be interesting anywhere in the world but doing so at this beautiful, albeit hugely challenging site required suppliers and crew of the very highest quality. “Everybody we brought on board delivered to the top of the game to make this a reality.”
NEC looks to boost city’s events offering BIRMINGHAM-based Big Cat Group has been brought on board by The NEC Group to enhance the city’s events offering. Having brought events such as Bodies Revealed and TV smash hit CSI: The Experience to the UK, Big Cat Group will utilise its range of contacts in Europe and the US to build upon the Birmingham’s entertainment calendar. CEO Nick Morgan said: “This is a great opportunity to further improve Birmingham’s significance as an international entertainment destination. In recent years we have seen millions of tourists flood to the city to witness shows such as XFactor, Britain’s Got Talent, Batman Live, Cirque de Soleil and many more. “Our role in this new venture will be to source global content and bring it to Birmingham. With the advancements in digital technology, theatre production and visual arts the possibilities for the city are endless.” Business development director at the NEC Chris Hartley added: “We’re delighted to be teaming up with Big Cat. We know the entertainment events market place is an area of real opportunity for us and now with Big Cat’s experience and knowledge in this sector, we can actively target it.”
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THE BIG CHILL
Big Chill continues to grow ... CHILDREN and chilling out were among the priorities at this year’s Big Chill, which celebrated its 17th year with another successful event. Almost 300 artistes performed across 10 stages against the backdrop of Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Herefordshire, with headliners including The Chemical Brothers and Kanye West. Melvin Benn, managing director of promoters Festival Republic, said: “This is our second year promoting The Big Chill and it has been a great opportunity to implement some changes and improvements. “There was a brilliant response to our improved and expanded family area ‘The Little Chill’, often at times over the weekend as popular with the parents as it was the children.
“The Therapy and Chill field was increased in size and the treatment tents were busier than ever, Big Chill Radio got its own stage, BBC Six Music broadcast three shows live from site, and there were new additions to the music on offer including The People’s Ear Stage, the psychedelic White Rabbit Lounge and Tom Middleton’s Sound Of The Cosmos, whilst classic parts of the festival, such as the Art Trail triumphantly returned in partnership with Saatchi Online.” Some of the first to arrive at the event were the participants of the Tour De Chill, a new charity bike ride to the festival which raised over £5000 for one of the official charity partners, Kenyan Orphan Project. The riders were among the lucky festivalgoers who enjoyed music a
day early this year, with James Blake headlining the first ever Thursday night Deer Park stage performance. Melvin added: “Last year we were able to bring bigger and higher profile acts to The Big Chill, such as MIA and Lily Allen who brought with them a new wave of younger festivalgoer. We’re pleased to see many of those faces return this year. We now have a broader and more diverse line up reflecting a broader and more diverse audience, children, teenagers, adults, families, students and young people alike. “We worked hard to respect The Big Chill’s history whilst bringing it to the forefront of the festival calendar. “The event is often sited as ‘the original boutique festival’ and we are confident it will grow to become known as one of the major players of the summer calendar. It has been a privilege to enable the festival to continue as its heritage and place within
Pictures by Marc Sethi the festival market is something we believe is worth protecting.”
UK sustainable first for Cardiff CARDIFF’S Millennium Stadium has been recognised as the UK’s first sustainable event stadium. The venue has achieved BS8901 compliance for its efforts in managing the social, economic and environmental impact of stadium events. Stadium manager Gerry Toms said: “The Millennium Stadium is the industry leader for the sustainable management of events and it is an
honour to receive the BS8901 certificate ahead of any other UK stadium. “The standard is a fantastic achievement for a stadium which was designed and built over a decade ago without the innovative design elements in modern stadia and demonstrates the huge strides taken by the organisation to improve its sustainable credentials.”
VisitEngland contract awarded PRESTON based events management company, Glasgows, has won a three year contract to manage the Visit England Awards for Excellence. The contract includes marketing, sponsorship acquisition, administering the application and judging processes as well as organising the prestigious annual awards ceremony. Chairman Ron Glasgow said: “We
are really delighted to win the contract. The VisitEngland Awards scheme is the gold standard for recognising and rewarding excellence within English tourism. The awards showcase the very best that England offers tourists, rewards participants and drives up standards by providing inspirational models for other tourism businesses to follow.”
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Freedom 2011 wows with theatre, dance and music HULL’S Freedom Festival returned to the city with a bang – with estimated crowds of 75,000 people wowed by projects including street theatre, dance and music. Spaces across the city centre were taken over by artistes and performers including comedian Arthur Smith, music from Camille O’Sullivan and the world premier of the Hull Freedom Chorus. Chief executive of Visit Hull and East Yorkshire Janet Reuben said: “Freedom 2011 has been an overwhelming success for the city of Hull. We have seen large crowds thoroughly enjoying everything on offer, businesses experiencing a high level of demand and a vibrancy and positive
atmosphere that any city would be envious of.” Chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity added: “Major events of this nature are invaluable to the tourism industry and for all those associated businesses which benefit from the additional footfall. “Everyone involved should be proud of what they have achieved.” Humberside Police have also praised Freedom after the event maintained a welcoming and family friendly atmosphere throughout the three days. There were only two arrests connected with the event – a marked improvement on 2010.
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BINGLEY MUSIC LIVE
Action-packed festival has biggest year
Eliza Doolittle was among the performers at this year’s festival. Picture: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com
OVER 15,000 people each day attended this year’s Bingley Music Live, making it the event’s biggest year yet. An action packed weekend saw performers such as Fun Lovin Criminals, Maximo Park, Chase and Status and Eliza Doolittle take to the stage to entertain the crowds. A new chill out and family friendly area was also introduced this year, complete with a second community focused stage which was powered by solar energy. Festival manager Andrew Wood from the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council told The Main Event he was really pleased with how this year’s festival went. He added: “It went really well and we sold out a week in advance. We aren’t really a family festival but for people who do bring families, the new area had more of a chilled out vibe. “Before we have been more of a big gig in a field rather than a festival but now we have provided other areas and this is something which will certainly continue and develop. “We can get 17,000 people into the venue but we don’t want to get to that number because then they have all
got to get out of Bingley, which would be very demanding.” The festival prides itself on being affordable, with a weekend ticket costing just £35, and new for this year were camping areas, laid on by local landowners which allowed guests to enjoy more of a festival experience. “A private organisation did camping in Bingley and there were two campsites – one at the local rugby club and another done by a local farmer. We had to work with them to get it right for residents because if not it could jeopardise the event. They had to lay out terms and conditions and make sure residents were kept informed.” The team behind the event are now gearing up for next year and Andrew added they already have ideas about what they would like to see and artistes who could fit the bill. The team behind the event – where contractors included Lightmedia Displays, Newburn Power, Peppermint Bars and AP Security – are now gearing up for next year and Andrew added they already have ideas about what they would like to see and artistes who could fit the bill.
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FAIRPORT CROPREDY CONVENTION
Convention stays on track despite road closure AN unexpected road closure meant organisers of Fairport’s Cropredy Convention had to think on their feet. The main route into the festival was interrupted due to road works, meaning that the team behind the festival had to implement a new traffic plan to ensure visitors could still access the site with minimal disruption to local people. A two-mile stretch of the A361 road was closed as part of the Banbury flood relief scheme and a section of the road between neighbouring village Williamscot and Junction 11 of the M40, which was due to re-open in July had been put back to October, which would affect the festival. So to make sure everything went ahead as planned, the team behind the event worked hard to get the word out before it started so festivalgoers would know in advance where to go. Festival director Gareth Williams said: “The main road to us was closed, which was a bit concerning. But we had a good traffic management plan so we could email everyone details and advice. They all took note and there were no queues.” Traffic updates were printed on the festival’s website as well as on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, with festivalgoers being advised which ‘A’ roads to use rather than clogging up country lanes and disrupting neighbouring villages. Gareth added everything worked out well and he also told The Main Event, this year was another good one for the festival, which was particular-
ly important as next year they are going up against the Olympics. He added: “People don’t like anything new, so we just do an odd tweak to make things better. Our audience is very discerning and very loyal. “We could get complacent but we would never insult them by doing that. “The line up is our main feature, my job is to make sure the audience is entertained.”
Contractors’ list Sound – SSE Stage and lights – Prism lighting Video – CT London Local crewing – Stagecraft Power and water – Bounty Events Trackway – Trac Ltd Fencing – Events Solutions PR – Iconic Media Artwork – Mick Toole Health and safety – John Sursham Associates Toilets, showers and cabins – Tim
Laughton Mobile Toilet Hire Security – MJ Events Support Merchandise – T Shirt and Sons Trucking – Stardes Band Transportation – Vans For Bands Tour Bus – Y-Not Us Accountancy – Jervis Associates Clean Up – Banbury and Adderbury Scouts Print services – Banbury Litho Thames Valley Police St John's Ambulance
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With the annual Showman’s Show now just weeks away, The Main Event caught up with organiser Jeremy Lance to see how plans are going for this year’s event ...
‘Something for every type of visitor’ How are plans shaping up for this year's show? The plans for this year’s show are very promising and the team is quietly optimistic but there is no room for complacency. What will there be for visitors to see and do? There are many new exhibitors and products for visitors to sample at this year’s show. What are you most looking forward to this year? We are excited to see the many new products and exhibitors that will be featured at this year’s event, which include the following: Tygit – new online ticketing system Team Extreme – new four man show that includes a mountain bike rider, inline skater, BMX rider and scooter rider Master Climate Solutions – launch of XL5, a 17 kW heater Smiths Waste Management – launching an event recycling service Total Displays – showcasing the X-Gloo Event Tent
APT Skidata – launching temporary automated turnstile unit Pop-Up Banners – branded parasols for corporate events Grumpy Joe’s – new wireless colour changing LED matrix dance floor, portage games/skittle alley, portable folding darts game and an all weather PVC flooring British Red Cross – new Landrover First Aid cycles PT Winchester – new looped webbing range for marquee manufacturers and cover makers that are weldable with no need for eyelets Batmink Distribution – new range of LED illuminated furniture (as featured in the Radio One area at Glastonbury) Have there been any changes/new features added? The format works, so there have been no changes this year. Why do you think the show maintains its popularity year on year? The Showman’s Show has something for every type of visitor; for those organisers who are planning a one off special
event, those that plan several events in one year and also exhibitors within other industries looking for exhibiting products. What makes it stand out from the crowd? Being staged outdoors, the
show allows exhibitors to display their products in the way they would at an event and as a consequence this format encourages many suppliers from areas of the event industry to exhibit giving visitors a comprehensive shop window.
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More than four million litres of water delivered this summer ... WINCANTON is one of the country’s largest logistic companies and offer a full suite of water services to any event, large or small, across the UK. This summer they delivered more than four million litres of water to a variety of events that include: The Big
Chill, The Great Dorset Steam Fair, Leeds Festival, Kendal Calling and V Festival. Meet Mike Rowell and the Wincanton Water Services team at The Showman’s Show to discuss your water needs for events and festivals.
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High-quality security solutions ESS Management are an event security and crowd management company providing high quality security solutions for a wide range of events around the UK. Their management team have over 20 years’ experience working within the security industry; this has involved managing some of the largest events held in the country. This experience also runs throughout the workforce, a large number of whom have worked together for the past 10 years, ensuring our clients have their high expectations met. The services they provide, cover the whole gamut of skills required at an event. They range from event safety stewards, response teams, pit crews right through to customer care, search teams and evidence gatherers. They recognise that everyone has their own
skills and abilities and through the training process, people are handpicked for the roles that best suit them. This then enables them to provide the best possible service to the client, whilst offering job satisfaction to their team. Their aim, is to ensure their clients can get on with running a great event with the confidence that ESS Management is maintaining the safety and security of their customers, at all times. This is achieved by meticulous planning months prior to the event – this involves site visits, planning meetings and hours of preparing operational orders and briefing documents. This all means that the security operation for that event is not just a paste and copy exercise, but is purpose built from scratch.
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Recycling stations prove a hit SMITHS Event Management a division of Smiths' (Gloucester) provides event managers with a complete recycling and waste collection service in the UK. Whatever the size of the event, indoor or outdoor, Smiths offers a complete management solution to ease the pressure of dealing with the quantity and variety of waste produced over the duration of an event. Smiths aim to recycle as much of the collected waste as possible and help to reduce the carbon footprint of the event. Smiths provide waste-specific collection containers, will manage the recycling and waste collections at an event and clean up when it is over. Utilising their branded recycling points, the Smiths team use site visibility to encourage visitors to deposit waste in the appropriate receptacles. Smiths' team monitor the bins at these points to ensure they never overflow. They remove the filled bags
to a central point where a dedicated RCV collection vehicle ships the waste to Smiths' materials recycling facility in Gloucestershire. With an objective to recycle 100 per cent of the event waste, Smiths aim to improve the carbon footprint of each event and ensure a better, cleaner environment for every visitor. In their first full events season, Smiths have seen impressive growth picking up contracts with CLA Game Fair, Countryman Fairs and the Cheltenham Festivals amongst others. James Herbert-Power of Smiths said: “We have developed recycling stations that can be placed in strategic points at each event. These have been enthusiastically received and make it safe and easy for people to recycle their waste at your event. We have had excellent response and feedback from event managers and I am very excited about the next 12 months.”
New addition to Lance team THE Lance family have welcomed a new addition to the team in time for this year’s Showman’s Show. As the youngest member of the family, Johnny is no stranger to the show and The Showman’s Directory, having been on the fringes of the company for as long as he can
remember and in recent years working in an official capacity as a steward at the event. Joining Lance Show and Publications will give him the chance to become more involved in the family business, as well as becoming more acquainted with the outdoor event industry.
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From BAFTAs to Comic Relief ALISTAGE of Harlow has had a busy year despite the constant depressive economic news. Again they have been involved in a wide variety of different events and projects throughout the period. These vary from award shows such as The BAFTA’s and the British Comedy Awards, through to providing the main stage for Comic Relief at the BBC. Festivals included, amongst others, the likes of Glastonbury, Cornbury and Womad, together with Summer Season held at Somerset House. This year also saw contracts for supplying a variety of equipment for a soon to be released film called ‘Jack the Giant Killer’. This involved not just staging but a complicated aluminium scaffold tower structure required to support a Bedouin tent. The ‘Total’ aluminium pit barrier
was also used on jobs such as the XFactor Live Tour and Elton John’s Isle of Man concert. To secure the latter saw the company invest in the design and manufacture of new 2m wide pedestrian gates that were demanded by the health and safety officer in charge of the event. Other additions to the barrier range have also been introduced in advance of providing the barriers for Rihanna’s ‘Loud’ UK tour; all the above in conjunction with Robbie Wilson of R & R Logistics. Manufacturing new products has, however, always been the company’s way if it was felt it would add to the versatility of the existing product ranges. Other prestigious jobs included supplying orchestra staging for Proms in the Park and the stage for the Paralympics launch in Trafalgar Square.
Complete solution for any event in 2012 ID&C has worked with hundreds of live events this year, ranging from Wimbledon to Glastonbury and Wembley to Coachella. They offer the latest security, access control and accreditation products for any event, and have sold over four million units of their patented security wristbands this summer alone. In 2012, ID&C are extending their accreditation packages to offer a complete solution for any event, with wristbands, security passes, laminates and event maps all available. This will allow event managers to control their entire accreditation order through one company, with an excellent track record.
In addition to this, ID&C can offer a complete RFID access control solution for your event using their RFID enabled wristbands. This kind of access control is perfect for any event with over 10,000 visitors. The technology gives event managers access to real-time visitor numbers and can admit over 2000 guests per hour, per access gate. Find out more by visiting www.idband.co.uk or see ID&C at the Showman’s Show in the exhibition hall. ID&C will have samples of all their event accreditation products and will be showing off their new festival-style exhibition stand.
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Event vehicles geared up for Showman’s Show BRADSHAW Rentals will be exhibiting a number of its wide range of event vehicles at the Showman’s Show. For show and event organisers the on-site vehicle requirements can be very diverse, from security patrols to VIP transport and waste collection to first aid ambulance or retail goods movement. These represent some of the jobs our vehicles perform at small and large events across the country annually. Our workhorse Turf utility vehicles can move a wide range of equipment during the building stage and provide load movement capability throughout and waste collection at the end of the event. Our four to eight seat people movers are often used to transport
visitors and VIP guests around the event site in comfort. The ever popular John Deere Gator is the star of the ‘All Terrain’ vehicle range and is popular for security patrol duties. We also have a specialist ambulance that can carry a patient and two people across uneven ground. This vehicle proves a fast response to first aid emergencies, transporting the first aider, a stretcher and any bulky equipment across site quickly. The stabilised patient can then be moved safely back across site to a road ambulance for further treatment or transport to hospital. The wide range of vehicles and our unrivalled customer service mean we are rated number one in the events industry.
Sunbaba provided stage branding at the Thames Festival.
Sunbaba to roll out new materials at show SUNBABA are one of the UK’s leading event branding suppliers – by combining experience, the latest technology and materials, we deliver outstanding results. Visitors to Sunbaba’s stand at the Showman’s Show can expect to see a diverse selection of large format print options. New materials on display at the show include screen printed poly-
mesh used at this year’s Ecovelocity event at Battersea Power Station and a new UV printed carpet. Sunbaba has been supplying event branding solutions, for over 12 years. The company aims to make the process of purchasing event branding as hassle free as possible for the client and with an extensive supply chain are able to be flexible and turnaround orders to tight deadlines.
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Firm promoting wraps ELLIOTT Event Hire has had a successful season, winning some prestigious contracts and showcasing some of their latest products at festivals and events throughout the country, including Goodwood Festival of Speed and Glastonbury. Following on from their achievements at last year’s Showman’s Show Elliott Event Hire will be using the opportunity this year to promote their customer branded wrapped buildings at the event. These have proved to be very popular with a number of high profile companies, including Skoda, Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Goodwood Estates, BMW and Sheraton Hotel Group. Vinyl wraps can be applied on any of Elliott’s portable buildings, Moduflex® range or to their modular
buildings and can include complete coverage of windows and doors, without losing their functionality. They can be used for a multitude of purposes including ticket offices, corporate hospitality suites, sleeper buildings and reception facilities. Bespoke wraps have two distinct advantages, you can choose to stand out from the crowd or blend in to your surroundings. They can provide a high impact advertising medium to enable you to maximise the visibility of your brand or offer a subtle façade so that the building is less conspicuous to its immediate environment. For more details on Elliott’s corporate branding wraps visit www.elliottuk.com/customer-branding Elliott Event Hire has produced a brochure which includes their latest range of products.
Delivering powerful hire management solutions PREPARATIONS are under way as MCS gets set to exhibit at this year’s Showman's Show. The firm has a strong track record in delivering its powerful hire management solutions to the events and AV hire sector. Portable Toilets, Wernick Hire and Gordon Audio Visual have all used MCS software to help them manage their successful and expanding hire businesses. MCS will be demonstrating MCSrm, its Microsoft Windows-based application, which is affordable, easy to use and fully configurable to align to specialised events hire operation. Visitors to the show will be able to see how MCS-rm can improve asset utilisation, provide a centralised data store of all business information and
help event hirers efficiently run and manage their events schedules. More efficient hire management processing means accelerated throughput and a more competitive, flexible and profitable events hire business. MCS will also highlight some of its latest software enhancements, including the new split delivery functionality. This enables event hirers to split their deliveries on a hire contract and will support common hire scenarios such as where delivery lorry capacity is exceeded or where staged deliveries are required. Mark Black, managing director of temporary accommodation and storage hire company Portable Space, said: “Our clients regularly hire a
number of cabins at one time and these are listed on a single quotation and, therefore, on one hire contract. “However, for transportation pur-
poses more than one delivery may be required due to lorry capacity. The MCS-rm functionality copes with these complexities.”
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Innovative new screens to be showcased at show BRITAIN’S biggest mobile LED screen company, ADI.tv, will showcase a number of new innovative screens at the Showman’s Show. Stars of their stand will be three brand new iCONIC + screens, each featuring high resolution screens for unrivalled picture quality and sharpness. All feature screens with a far smaller pixel pitch than any comparable products worldwide. The screens cover three sizes, with an iCONIC 25+ and iCONIC 15+ at the smaller end of the market, aimed at the experiential market and smaller or city centre events. These offer vastly reduced minimum viewing distances, making them ideal for locating amongst crowds on streets. At the other end of the scale is the new iCONIC 100+, with a brand new 100mÇ screen with exceptional 1600x900 resolution. This is aimed at large events with premium HD video requirements, such as the recent Harry Potter premiere in Trafalgar Square. All iCONIC+ screens feature new processors with native HDMI/SDI support and come with on-board generators and a 30 minute setup time, making them incredibly versatile. The iCONIC + screens will be joined at the show by a number of other ADI products, including their innovative iFLY 25 screen, plus ADI will be showcasing their latest portable event Outside Broadcast units.
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Exchange gains top spot in awards THE Edinburgh Corn Exchange has been named as Scotland’s best large venue in the prestigious Scottish Event Awards. The venue beat off competition from Glasgow’s SECC to take the title and also had an added reason to celebrate as it hosted the awards for the first time. Venue manager Scott Snedden said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be named best large venue in Scotland, especially when you consider the competition, it definitely puts this award into perspective. “We were initially delighted to play host to the awards, the first time they have been held in Edinburgh, but to be named as winners certainly puts the icing on the cake. “Of course, we must pay credit to our amazing team of staff who we recognise as being instrumental in our success. “This award will be an amazing ‘thank you’ for them all, an appreciation of the hard work and dedication since the venue’s inception over eleven years ago, now making us the best large venue in Scotland.” Managing director Paul Demarco added: “To attract the industry awards to our venue has been a great opportunity to showcase the diversity we have to offer, and it has been a real occasion to shine among the company of our contemporaries.”
Food and drink festival ‘best yet‘ THE fourth annual Royal Leamington Spa Food and Drink Festival attracted a record number of visitors and has been hailed the best yet. Almost 23,000 people attended, 6,000 more than last year, and visitors came from as far afield as New Zealand and America. Festival highlights included demonstrations by celebrity chef ‘Rustie’ Lee and James McIntosh at the AGA Rangemaster Live Kitchen, which attracted huge crowds. Stephanie Kerr, executive director of BID Leamington, said more than 100 businesses exhibited, with many already booking again for next year. She added: “Our fourth festival has been a fantastic success. Exhibitors reported substantial sales with many trebling their usual weekend turnovers. “The Taste Trail was yet again one of the highlights. You could feel the buzz as you walked around town and there was a fantastic atmosphere in the Pump Room Gardens.”
A fiery Viking longboat at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Youth Games.
Opening event entertains millions across the globe WALK the Plank’s event engineers and pyrotechnic masters teamed up with hundreds of community participants to entertain millions across the globe. The spectacular Commonwealth Youth Games opening event in the Isle of Man was streamed worldwide by the BBC and was watched live in the Bowl Stadium at the National Sports Centre by 1,500 athletes from across 65 countries. The ceremony featured more than 225 dancers, musicians and actors from the Isle of Man, while
the Games were opened by HRH the Earl of Wessex – the vice patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation – after a parade by the athletes and officials. Prince Edward’s link with Walk the Plank and their work began almost 20 years ago when he played a significant part in raising support for the charity’s campaign to launch the UK’s only theatre ship The Fitzcarraldo. Liz Pugh, Walk the Plank cofounder and director of the opening ceremony, said: “It was a huge
honour to open the Commonwealth Youth Games, especially after closing the Commonwealth Games in 2002 in Manchester. “It’s a joy to work with so many young people to welcome the young athletes of the Commonwealth to the island in such a spectacular way. ” Walk the Plank also presented a pyrotechnic display featuring drawings of fire to depict the seven played sports as a firework finale to close the Games.
Professionals take on challenge A GROUP of event industry professionals are gearing up for a charity challenge which involves walking an 85-mile stretch from the Yorkshire Dales to the Lake District. The Howard’s Way Walk, now in its fourth year, was inspired by freelance logistics manager Howard Kerr, who lost his life in 2008 to pancreatic cancer. Howard’s brother-in-law Nick Grecian, managing director of events crewing firm Gallowglass, has planned the route and will be accompanied by industry friends – many of whom joined Howard’s walk in previous years. Over the last three years, the event and related fundraising activities have raised in excess of £180,000, which has funded a PHD Studentship Award for a researcher at Barts Hospital’s Institute of Cancer.
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NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE
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Keeping the more adventurous consumer satisfied RESEARCH shows that whilst football grounds and public leisure centres continue to secure strong catering expenditure from consumers, a third of visitors to sports venues don’t buy food or drink at all. Reasons for consumers to eat elsewhere include price, lack of choice and negative perceptions of quality. Therefore supplying consumers with a varied range of products, from a well-known and respected brand whilst keeping costs down is crucial. Westlers has been manufacturing hot dogs for foodservice for over 50 years, producing a wide range of canned and pouched varieties to suit caterers’ diverse needs across the leisure sector. Westlers Premium Pouched Hot Dogs are 87 per cent pure pork, and have a distinctive natural beechwood smoked flavour. They don’t contain MRM (mechanically recovered meat) and are manufactured in the UK, meaning they have fewer food-miles to travel. If customers are looking for something different, Westlers has a range of serving options to keep the more adventurous consumer satisfied, including the ‘Meat Feast’ (topped with chilli con carne) and the ‘Hot Shot’ (topped with
cheese and jalapenos). For large appetites, there is even a 12 inch hot dog option, also known as The Big Daddy. Westlers is currently offering a range of machinery deals to caterers to enable them to provide a variety of quality snacks with minimal
financial outlay. On average, caterers can expect to make around £64 profit for selling around 50 hotdogs priced at £2.00 each. For more information about Westlers Hot Dogs please contact Westlers on 01653 693971 or email custserv@westler.com
Cream of the crop at harvest! Innovative protection system is launched AN innovative new ground protection system manufactured solely from UK recycled plastic waste, GroundMate, has been launched by Centriforce Products, the UK’s largest independent plastics recycler. GroundMate offers a tough and durable substitute to traditional ground protection materials such as plywood. Water and slip-resistant, it will not rot or delaminate and costs up to 50 per cent less than alternative systems. Designed to protect soft and/or sensitive ground from machinery and vehicles, GroundMate has been successfully tested for vehicles up to 30 tonnes. GroundMate is completely reusable and is fully recyclable after use. Centriforce also offers a service to take back GroundMate boards when a contractor has finished with them for onward reuse or recycling. GroundMate is manufactured at Centriforce’s Liverpool production centre from high quality 100 per cent recycled polymer waste feedstock, sourced from plastic bottles, carrier bags and transportation film – packaging that would otherwise be destined for landfill or export. Enquiries: Phone 0151 207 8109, email sales@centriforce.co.uk or visit www.centriforce.com
LEADING kitchen and equipment hire specialist PKL were down on the farm to supply a wide range of equipment to both Alex James’ and Jimmy Dohery’s Harvest festivals. The simultaneous events were held at Jimmy’s farm in Ipswich and at the farm of former Blur bassist turned cheese maker Alex James in Kingham. PKL supplied all equipment for the onsite pop-up restaurants, kitchens and demo areas. In Ipswich, Surrey, PKL delivered hot tables and combi-ovens for food outlets such as the Olive Area, Blanch and Shock, Dock kitchen's Tandoori Tent and Climpson and Sons as well as backstage
equipment at chef demonstration areas. At Kingham, Oxfordshire, PKL provided equipment for Salt Yard, Chefs Table, Blanch and Shock, Wahaca and Hix Bar and Restaurant and more ovens for the chef demonstration and Kiddies Cooking areas. Marketing director Lee Vines said: “We’re delighted to have been such an integral part of these two great food festivals. Visitors were treated to some fantastic demonstrations by high profile chefs and were spoiled for choice with the popup restaurants on site. We’re already looking forward to next year!” For more information visit www.pkl.co.uk or call 0845 8404242
New for 2012? We can help you spread the word ... WITH 2011 rapidly drawing to a close, organisers are already turning their attention to next year’s events. 2012 promises to be a spectacular year for the industry and with world famous events such as the Olympics to look forward to, as well as the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations and the traditional summer festival season there will be something for everyone. To help organisers plan their upcoming
projects, the next issue of The Main Event will include a dedicated ‘New for 2012’ feature, which will allow suppliers to shout about how they are gearing up for the new year. So whether you are launching an exciting new product, moving offices or introducing key new staff to enhance your business, we would like to hear from you. To book your place in this feature contact Mandy Mellor on 01226 734702 or email mm@whpl.net
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365 - SUPPLIER DIRECTORY
Access Control
Event Hire
Ticket Alternative UK ltd Unit 333 Ashley Rd, London N17 9LN T: 0800 011 2894 E: orders@ticketalternative.co.uk www.ticketalternative.co.uk
Elliott – Event Hire St Georges House Rearsby Business Park Rearsby Leicester LE47 4YH T: 0800 1313314 E: events@elliottuk.com www.elliott.com
Air Displays TSA Consulting Ltd Lodge House 15 Gosditch Street Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 2AG T; 01285 659590 E: info@tsaconsulting.co.uk www.tsaconsulting.co.uk
Backline & PA Hire Sensible Music Group 90-96 Brewery Road London N7 9NT T: 020 7700 9900 F: 020 7700 4802 E: studio@sensible-music.co.uk www.sensible-music.co.uk
Car and Van rental Arnold Clark Rental Head Office Kerse Road Stirling FK7 7RU T:01786 468 700 E: car.rental.sales@arnoldclark.co.uk www.arnoldclarkrental.com
CCTV Hire 2CL Communications Ltd Unit C, Woodside Trade Centre Parham Drive Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 4NU T: 0800 389 2278 F: 02380 720038 E: sales@2cl.co.uk www.2cl.co.uk Mobile CCTV Ltd Unit G 4 Doman Road Kendall Court Yorktown Industrial Estate Camberley Surrey GU15 3DF T: 01276 469 084 E: info@mobilecctv.co.uk www.mobilecctv.co.uk
Crowd Management Pro Touch Security Ltd 4C Queensway business Centre Dunlop Way Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire DN16 3RN T: 01724 279522 E: office@protouchsecurity.co.uk www.protouchsecurity.co.uk
Event Branding Principle Group 2270 Silverstone Technology Park Silverstone Circuit Northants NN12 8TN T: 01327 858 614 F: 01327 858 287 www.principle-group.co.uk
PW Hire Bode Business Park Ball Haye Green Leek Staffordshire ST13 6BW T: 01538 384008 F: 01538 384016 E: info@pwhire.co.uk www.pw-hire.co.uk
GD Marquee Hire Western Brake Tedburn St Mary Exeter EX6 6EY T: 01647 24455 E: info@gdhire.com www.gdhire.com GL events Snowdens Second Drove Eastern Industry Fengate Peterborough PE1 5XA T: 01733 344110 F: 01733 314985 E: info@snowdens.co.uk www.snowdens.co.uk
Medical Event Production Management Ethix Management 100 Kingsgate Road West Hampstead London NW6 2JG T: 0207 691 1960 E: enquiries@ethixmanagement.com www.ethixmanagement.com SRD Group Units 1-2 Crowhurst Hop Farm Bullen Lane East Peckham TONBRIDGE Kent TN12 5NP T: 01732 373920 F: 01732 373921 E: info@srdgroup.co.uk www.srdgroup.co.uk
Event Power BRM Productions Limited Unit 12 Canalside Industrial Park Kinoulton Road Cropwell Bishop Notts NG12 3BE T: 0115 989 9955 M: 07860 285305 E: power@brm-productions.co.uk
Fireworks 21cc Fireworks Hopetoun Sawmill Hopetoun Estates Edinburgh EH30 9SL T: 0800 612 4509 E: info@21ccfireworks.co.uk www.21ccfireworks.com
Insurance Services ARC International St. Clare House 30-33 Minories London EC3N 1PE T: +44 (0) 207 977 7630 F: +44 (0) 207 977 7631 E: twaller@arc-int.co.uk Robertson Taylor 33 Harbour Exchange Square London E14 9GG T: 020 7510 1234 E: enquiries@rtib.co.uk www.Robertonson-taylor.com
Marquees Danco Plc The Pavilion Centre Frog Lane Coalpit Heath Bristol BS36 2NW Tel: 01454 250 222 Fax: 01454 250 444 www.danco.co.uk
SP Services (UK) Ltd Unit D4, Hortonpark Estate Hortonwood 7 Telford Shropshire TF1 7GX T: 01952 288 999 F: 01952 606 112 E: sales@spservices.co.uk www.spservices.co.uk Paramedico No 1a Storage unit Tannery close Croydon Industrial Estate Beckenham, Kent BR3 4BY T: 02086565956 M: 07515287962 E: events@paramedico.info www.paramedico.info
Portable Kitchens Elliott – Event Hire St Georges House Rearsby Business Park Rearsby Leicester LE47 4YH T: 0800 1313314 E: events@elliottuk.com www.elliott.com
Revolving Stages Movetech UK A division of British Turntable Co Ltd Emblem Street Bolton BL3 5BW T: 01204 537682 E: rental@movetechuk.com www.movetechuk.com/rental The Revolving Stage Company Ltd Unit F5, Little Heath Industrial Estate Old Church Road Coventry CV6 7ND T: 024 7668 7055 E:enquiries@therevolvingstagecompany.co.uk
Sound & Lighting Stage Electrics Third Way Avonmouth Bristol BS11 9YL T: 0844 870 0077 F: 0117 916 2828 sales@stage-electrics.co.uk www.stage-electrics.co.uk
Staging Daytona Stage Hire P.O. Box 43 Huddersfield HD8 9YU T: 01484 605555 M: 07889 132580 F: 01484 602806 E: daytonastagehire@mac.com www.daytonastagehire.com Steeldeck Rentals Ltd Unit 58 T.Marchant Estate 42-72 Verney Road London SE16 3DH T: 020 7833 2031 E: richard@steeldeck.co.uk www.steeldeck.co.uk
The Stage Bus 19 Prestwood Road Weoley Castle Birmingham B29 5EB T: 0121 603 8367 M: 07738 900 762 E info@thestagebus.com www.thestagebus.com
Toilets Eventloos.com 12a Bold Industrial Park Neil’s Road St Helens Merseyside WA9 4TU T: 0845 544 0513 E: info@eventloos.com www.eventloos.com Elliott – Event Hire St Georges House Rearsby Business Park Rearsby Leicester LE47 4YH T: 0800 1313314 E: events@elliottuk.com www.elliott.com Loos For Do's Ltd Unit 5 Farringdon Business Park Alton Hants GU34 3DZ E: info@loos.co.uk www.loos.co.uk
Walkie Talkies 2CL Communications Ltd Unit C, Woodside Trade Centre Parham Drive Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 4NU T: 0800 389 2278 F: 02380 720038 E: sales@2cl.co.uk www.2cl.co.uk Wall to Wall Communications Unilink House 21 Lewis Road Sutton, Surrey SM1 4BR T:020 8770 1007 F:020 8770 9700 E:hire@walltowallcomms.co.uk www.walltowallcomms.co.uk
Water supplies Water Direct Ltd B-26 Earls Colne Business Park Earls Colne Colchester Essex CO6 2NS T: 0845 345 1725 F: 01787 223354 E: enquiries@water-direct.co.uk www.water-direct.co.uk
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Membership drive aimed at budding events By Christina Eccles
internal organisation.
THE Association of Independent Festivals has launched a new entry level membership to encourage budding festivals to get on board.
“What AIF can do is open the door to a host of good contacts, initiatives and an experienced team to give advice and help to avoid some of the fundamental mistakes that can be made in early years.”
The association, whose members include Bestival, Creamfields and The Green Man, has developed a new low cost membership option, which is tailored towards early stage promoters, particularly festivals in their first year. General manager Claire O’Neill explained: “Organising a festival is a massive and risky endeavour. “We don’t encourage anyone to embark on this path.
The BT Tower was transformed into the world's largest lightsaber for one night only to celebrate the Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Lighting specialists from communications agency, Imagination, created the effect that transformed the London landmark, which stands at 189 metres tall. Senior lighting designer Jonny Milmer said access to the roof was the biggest challenge for the five-person team. He added: “We accessed the roof through a small hatch so we were restricted with the type of equipment we could use. We went to the limit of what we could do to maximize the effect. It proves that with a resourceful, imaginative team you can achieve anything.” The lighting equipment weighed almost two tonnes, and was controlled remotely through an iPad 530m away on the roof of the Imagination building.
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“However, many out there will choose to get started on this rocky road each year. “The new entry level membership is a way for new, young festivals to gain information via an experienced support network whilst organising their event. “Of course the success of a festival is dependent upon the festival’s own uniqueness and
Two new members have recently taken AIF up on this opportunity and been welcomed into the association – London Green Fair, a free and environmentally conscious fair in the heart of London and Lubstock, a flourishing acoustic festival in Leicestershire. Claire added: “People will continue to want to organise festivals, driven by their passion for music, some form of entertainment or message. “We’re faced with an oversaturated market – but at least it can’t be called stagnant. Whilst we don’t encourage people to start new festivals, what we do aim to encourage is best practice, innovation, diversity and creativity.
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