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Issue 41 July 2010 £4.75
Festivals in £130m boost to economy
Debate over the worth of sponsorship By Christina Eccles AN industry debate has broken out over the value of sponsorship at festivals. While some events insist that backing from sponsors is vital to the success of their event, others have hit back by saying it can be detrimental. The Wychwood Festival has worked with brands such as The Independent and Waitrose and codirector Sam Shrouder said these assocations can work well – providing they tie in with a festival’s ethos and what the audience want. He said: “It’s a great partnership with Waitrose. It’s nice when people want to invest money to support us because it’s very expensive to put the festival on. “There are festivals that have reached a situation where they make large profits and decide they don’t need sponsors. “But we are really pleased to have them. The Independent have been a sponsor for five years and the support, help and advice they have given us has been absolutely crucial.” For Westminster Council, organisers of Westminster Live, backing from sponsors is necessary to ensure the event is able to go ahead without
introducing ticket prices. Organiser Coun Robert Davis added: “It costs £250,000 to put the event on, which is funded through sponsorship. Sponsors are a vital part.” But some are keen to steer clear of using too many brands at their event – claiming it can ruin the experience for festivalgoers. Co founder of Kendal Calling Andy Smith added: “Before I started running the festival, I went to Leeds Festival, which was sponsored by Carling, so the only thing you could drink was Carling. “I took issue with that. Not only because it ruins the name of a festival but because it also has a detrimental effect on the event because choice is limited for festivalgoers. In that way sponsorship is bad.” Andy added although the festival has partnered with certain brands, those they choose to work with have to add value without detracting from the festival itself. He added: “Any sponsorship has to have a beneficial impact and nothing too garish. We don’t want to get away from it being Kendal Calling so we steer away from corporate signs and re-named stages.”
VISITORS to independent festivals will contribute more than £130m to the UK economy this year, according to the results of a new survey. The Association of Independent Festivals spoke to almost 5,000 festivalgoers to discover their attitudes towards attending festivals and their spending habits. About 350,000 people will attend an AIF member festival, such as Creamfields, Bestival or Field Day this summer and the results showed that festivalgoers will provide a vital boost to local economies when they go to an event. AIF general manager Claire O’Neill said: "It is good to see that for another year despite an overall economic downturn, independent festivals continue to make a great contribution both nationally and locally.” For more on what the survey said see our festival round up section starting on Page 13
Liverpool has been named as the host city for this year’s MOBO Awards. The annual event will be celebrating its 15th birthday at the Echo Arena in October – showcasing and honouring some of the biggest names in music. The news was announced by MOBO’s founder Kanya King and singer and previous award winner Leona Lewis (pictured).
The Main Event is the official magazine of the National Outdoor Events Association
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Don’t miss our Festival Round-up covering events like the Radio One Big Weekend, Glastonbudget, Crick Boat Show, Download, the Chelsea Flower Show and many more ... Starting on Page 13
Survey helps Sid give crowd what they want By Christina Eccles A SIMPLE online survey has enabled one festival organiser to learn what visitors to his event really want. Sid Sharma organises the Shambala Festival, an event which consistently attracts a sell-out 7,000 strong crowd. And organisers are clearly doing something right – with ticket sales this year 20 per cent up. Feedback from fans has shown they are generally happy with the size of the festival and its location plus the fact they aren’t bombarded with advertisements and corporate sponsorship. So the task for Sid is to keep
giving them what they want, while also tweaking certain things to keep the event fresh year on year. He explained: “The survey has been really useful. We have a really loyal crowd. Most people have been a few times and on the whole they are very happy with it. But it’s about listening to the consumer and we have been listening to people. We are not actively trying to grow or make money but that’s why people come to the event. “We are happy with this site and people don’t want us to grow any bigger. This sort of size is manageable and intimate.” Shambala is regularly a sell out with
the key promotional tool being word of mouth, which accounts for a massive 98 per cent of sales. Sid added: “This year ticket sales are 20 per cent up. A lot of other events seem to be struggling but we don’t try to get new business, we just make sure people come back. We are not trying to grow in size, just develop what we have. We don’t get any sponsorship – it is down to ticket sales to keep us alive. It all started with a few friends in a field wanting to celebrate friendship. Each year it seemed to grow but we have always kept the vibe of being intimate, good natured and non corporate.”
Call for extension to PRS for Music consultation period PRS for Music should extend its consultation period to allow organisers entering their busiest time of the year longer to put their case together, it has been claimed. The consultation centres around the revision of the tariffs which live music venues, including festivals, are charged for the use of copyright music. The deadline is currently set at September but the Association of Independent Festivals – which represents festivals including Camp Bestival, Cornbury and Field Day – says members will have their hands full over the summer organising their own events and would benefit from
more time to discuss the issue. AIF has said that it welcomes the consultation and the opportunity to discuss these wide ranging issues – including reviews of the Tariff LP (for popular music events) and Tariff DP (for dance parties) – but feels it would make more sense to give organisers longer to respond. AIF chairman Alison Wenham said: “The independent festival sector was nascent at the time of the last tariff review – since then it has grown into a world-renowned industry. “We are asking for a extension to the consultation process so that AIF members and indeed all festival promoters have a chance to openly dis-
cuss the proposed tariff changes in a spirit of cooperation commensurate with our common goal of preserving and stimulating growth throughout the UK live music sector, and preserving the balance between entrepreneurial risk and fair reward.” PRS has also asked for views on topics including the secondary ticketing market and the proposed termination of Tariff DP, with dance party events to be charged under Tariff LP. What do you think? Email your views to ce@whpl.net or contact our editorial team on 01226 734463.
Historic castle to play host to Westlife concert Page 7
Local authority spotlight Pages 8-9 Focus on Crowd Management Pages 10-11 Insurance NOEA Classified
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CONTACTS EDITORIAL Group Editor Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 editorial@themaineventmagazine.co.uk Reporters: Christina Eccles (ce@whpl.net) Emma Spencer (emmas@whpl.net) Louise Cordell (lcordell@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: Kyle Wilkinson (kw@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734711
ADVERTISING Group Sales Manager: Paul Allott Tel: 01226 734484 Fax: 01226 734478 Mob: 07500 905717 Email: pa@whpl.net Sales Executive: Mandy Mellor Tel: 01226 734702 Email: mm@whpl.net Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Email: tb@whpl.net
CIRCULATION Kelly Tarff Tel: 01226 734695 email: circulation@wharncliffepublishing.co.uk
www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk
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Sponsorship struggle eases for organiser By Christina Eccles
Bon Jovi played a secret outdoor gig to mark the start of their summer residency at London’s O2. Over 5,000 fans saw the concert which took place on the roof of the building.
River to be focus for Capital of Culture event OUTDOOR arts company Walk the Plank has won the contract to deliver the opening event for the 2011 Capital of Culture.
Tens of thousands of spectators are expected to attend, with many more seeing the show on television and online.
The event will take place in Turku in Finland next January and the company will create a large-scale, site-specific event on the banks and water of the River Aurajoki.
Producer John Wassell said: “The opportunity to work with the people of Turku to create an opening event that makes use of the fantastic riverside locations of the city is one which excites us greatly.
Combining aerial performance, massed choirs, an original score, fire, pyrotechnics and special effects, the show’s theme is communication – and is inspired by the city’s current position as a telecommunications hub, as well as its ship-building heritage. To ensure the event is inclusive and leaves a lasting impression, a major participation programme, involving 2,000 local people, will help create the show.
“It’s a welcome sign that UK outdoor arts companies really can compete with our European counterparts. We look forward to bringing Walk the Plank's experience of making largescale outdoor performance and combining it with the history, geography and people of the city of Turku to create an event, which will be spectacular, unique and memorable.” Turku will share the capital of culture title with Tallinn.
SECURING sponsorship for this year’s Rewind Festival has been much easier than last year, according to its organiser. David Heartfield has managed to get a number of big names on board to support the event – including Heart Radio and First Great Western. Rewind is now in its second year and David told The Main Event that following the success of last year’s first festival, sponsors are now much more willing to get involved. He explained: “Gaining sponsorship has been much easier this year. Last year, we were in our first year and a brand new product, but this year we are reaping the rewards of it being successful. “Sponsorship has been very useful in helping to make the finances of the festival work and having deals with media partners help to promote it.” Hopes for this year’s festival are high – with the capacity being increased from 30 - 40,000 over the weekend and ticket sales doing well. New features include karaoke for festivalgoers complete with a live band, new themed bars and a chill out lounge. And David added that the festival’s audience expect a high standard at the event, so it is important for organisers to deliver.
He added: “Given the age group we appeal to, they expect a certain level of service. With the bars, we find people really like the ability to sit down so we have brought in about 300 picnic tables. “We have ‘Glamping’ options in the campsite and a posh wash village where people can pre-book shower time and a slot in the jacuzzi.” The event showcases the best of the 1980s – with acts performing including Boy George, Tony Hadley and Rick Astley – and according to David this has made the festival unique and helped it to ride out the recession. “We have a niche market as we appeal to a slightly older age group who are a bit more resilient to the credit crunch. “We are aimed at a different audience, in a good catchment area, which is easily accessible by car and by train – all of these things help. “A lot of festivals are driven by which headline act is performing but for some such as this one, it is all about the overall experience. “We are very lucky with the site as apart from having good transport links, it is also used for corporate hospitality at the Henley Regatta, so a lot of the infrastructure is already it place. “This makes it easier for us as we are starting with 10 per cent in place rather than nothing.”
Working at heights is one of the most hazardous activities that can be undertaken on site. Heath Freeman, managing director of Pinnacle Crew, speaks from personal experience and discusses what can be done to minimise the risks...
Minimising risks when working at heights THE event industry has had its fair share of accidents as a result of working at heights. Unfortunately, these accidents do not seem to be reducing even though we are all a lot more health and safety aware these days. From personal experience, I know how quickly a fall from height can occur. About 10 years ago I had an accident while working on a lighting platform. It came totally out of the blue, and under the circumstances there was nothing I could have done to prevent it. It happened within 10 minutes of my arriving on site. Things were extremely busy and everyone was under pressure because of the time frame to complete the job. As I was experienced in this particular type of work, I was merely given the briefest introduction to the site manager and other relevant parties. Neither had I been privy to the pre-production preparation, so
in effect I was approaching the job blind. So I was totally oblivious to the fact that not all the steel floor plates had been secured. Some of the missing plates were simply covered with sheets of ply. I was asked to move one these sheets but was blissfully unaware that there was nothing but open space below it. I fell through the lighting platform and the rest, as they say, is history. How could this have been prevented? A simple way would have been for everyone involved to meet when they all arrived on site for a pre-event briefing. Such a briefing should have included an overview of the job, what we were aiming to achieve, and the hazards that were present in the venue. I feel that this sort of briefing brings every one up to speed and helps focus them on the potential hazards. It not good enough just to have these briefings at the start of the job
as various contractors will arrive at various stages of a rig or de-rig, so there should be on-going interim briefings for all new arrivals. In this way, they are brought up to speed on what hazards are present and what hazards have been created by the work itself. Production managers also have a responsibility to think whether what they are asking their contractors to do is fair and appropriate. A number of times I have seen crew trying to work from a ladder when to be completely safe the job actually required a scaffold tower. Yes, ladders can be used and are used on many sites. But at what risk? Working at height certainly falls into the higher risk category of activities that take place on a site; and as consequences of poor safety practices can be and often are fatal. I therefore firmly believe that compromise in this area is not an option.
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‘Don’t force visitors into new ticket technology’ VISITORS to events should be able to choose how they want to receive their tickets instead of being forced into using new technology, it has been claimed. Quay Tickets has been working with a variety of venues and festivals to offer ticketing solutions for their events. And business development manager Peter I’Anson told The Main Event that although some events are trialling new technology such as wristbands and paperless tickets, customers should be able to choose how they want their tickets and not be made to use just one option. He explained: “When it’s a reserved venue, using barcodes instead of tickets can slow people down getting in. “Also some people still want tickets as they can form part of the event experience and provide memories.” Peter added that the company has looked into new ticketing options but for them to make a commitment to using something, it has to be affordable for the consumer. He added: “We have looked in to SMS ticketing, but if you have a smart phone why pay for SMS when you can get an email ticket? “There are also a lot of flaws – for example what you do if you lose the ticket or phone – and big infrastructure costs. We want to look at offering options instead of forcing people into it “Introducing this kind of technology will be right when it becomes cheaper, but we don’t think that it is right to pass the cost of installing it on to the customer.” Is new ticketing technology the way forward for outdoor events or do you prefer more traditional methods? Send your views to ce@whpl.net or contact our editorial team on 01226 734463.
The castle’s courtyard
Castle brings new winter festival to Yorkshire By Christina Eccles A NEW winter festival is coming to Yorkshire in December which will combine the spectacular backdrop of Ripley Castle with live music. The White Rose Winter Festival will take place over three days and include three evening performances and one matinee, showcasing a variety of different musical genres. The event will take place in a specially erected structure in the castle’s courtyard and festivalgoers will be treated to performances including The Four Seasons by Candlelight, The Sound of the Musicals and the Ripley Castle Winter Proms. Guests will also be able to enhance their experience further by purchasing one of a range of hospitality packages which include the chance to dine within the castle.
According to organisers, corporate hospitality is also selling well – particularly for the Thursday night performance – as companies look for an alternative Christmas event to entertain clients and staff. The Main Event met with organisers Shan Robinson and Emma Ramply who explained why the castle is such a good venue to host this kind of event. Both of them have vast experience within the industry – dealing with events, hospitality and sponsorship across the UK – and feel that the time is now right to bring more events to Yorkshire. Shan said: “The venue’s close proximity to Harrogate and the size of the courtyard is perfect for what we can fit in structure wise – each event has a capacity of 1,600. “It’s unique in size and great to work with and the castle’s owner Sir Thomas is very keen for new events
happening on his patch.” The event has also managed to secure sponsorship from Welcome to Yorkshire so can benefit from its support and marketing expertise. Emma added: “We had been speaking to Welcome to Yorkshire and found that our remit was in line with what they are trying to do, which is encourage more people into the region. Being part of their marketing campaign is huge for us. “For corporate clients, there is nothing else like it at that time of year. Our main priority is to create a popular and sustainable event which will get a good reputation both regionally and nationally. We want people to enjoy themselves and feel they got value for money and had a good time.” Look out for Emma and Shan’s event diary coming soon in The Main Event ...
Careful planning needed for complex event OVER 110,000 people took to the streets of East London to welcome in the Bengali New Year at the Baishakhi Mela. Features of the event included a colourful parade, live music, DJs and dance and on one of the hottest days of the year, it was vital the record breaking crowd kept a cool head. It was AP Security’s second year providing staff at the Mela – working closely with both the Metropolitan
Police and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to ensure a safe event. The Mela covers a wide area, including parks at Allen Gardens and Weaver’s Fields, plus many of the surrounding roads. With responsibilities including phased road closures and crowd management and safety, AP’s planning began at the beginning of the year.
Head of security Adam Scott explained: “The Mela is a complex event and all our staff need to have a very clear understanding of what’s required. “The rolling road closures are an especially complex area to manage. Ensuring that they are closed (and stay closed) when required, but are opened as quickly as possible afterwards, takes very careful coordination and clear communication.”
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Historic castle will play host to Westlife concert AN HISTORIC Scottish castle will host its first ever outdoor concert this year starring one of the world’s biggest bands. Chart-topping boyband Westlife will play a gig at Cawdor Castle near Inverness in August after the venue entered into an exclusive five-year deal with promoters CK Events. The company – which is also bringing Rod Stewart to Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s football ground in July – will stage the Westlife concert this year followed by two concerts every year for the next four. About 4,000 tickets for the 10,000 capacity event were snapped up in the first hour of going on sale and the castle’s administrator David Broadfoot said Cawdor will provide the perfect backdrop for the event. He said: “The castle is open between May 1st and the first Sunday in October and we have about 95,000 visits in that period. But you have to look for new income streams all the time. “It is very exciting. We want to take Cawdor out of the pack of castles and lead that pack. It can only go from strength to strength.” But David added that the event is not out to compete with Scotland’s strong line up of festivals but instead it is bringing bands to the area which local people would not normally be able to see
Westlife without travelling to an arena such as Glasgow’s SECC. He added: “The key thing is this is not a festival. There are plenty already in the Highlands such as Belladrum and Rockness. And because there is no camping, the whole local area can benefit, such as B&Bs and hotels. “The event will put big money into the local area and gives us PR we couldn’t normally afford.” The castle, which is the home of the Dowager Countess Cawdor, was also the venue for Take That star Mark Owen’s wedding last year.
Newbury Racecourse is hoping for a repeat of last year’s success later this month when Simply Red take to the stage again. Last summer, 27,000 fans flocked to see the band play at the venue – the largest audience at a racecourse in recent history. And organisers are hoping that this year’s event – which forms part of the band’s farewell tour – will be just as popular.
Reviews and views sought FESTIVALGOERS have been given the chance to share their reviews and views on this summer’s hottest events in a new book. The book will be filled with festival tweets, status updates and photos from all the UK’s major festivals, which will be submitted via MySpace, Twitter and Facebook. Independents United published the first Festival Annual in 2009 and as last year, the book will be sold through major bookshops and retailers.
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LOCAL AUTHORITY SPOTLIGHT
From preparing an event in the middle of the M74 motorway to planning a welcome for the Pope, Glasgow City Council’s events team will try anything once. Christina Eccles paid a visit ...
Team faces lower budgets and higher expectations WITH over 90 parks dotted around the city, it is no wonder that Glasgow is often referred to as ‘the Dear Green Place ...’ But the task for the events team is to raise their profile even further and a good way to get people into the parks is by hosting events there.
but it is now more important than ever – we want to encourage the community to get involved.” According to the team, delivering a high standard of events within an increasingly tight budget is the biggest issue they currently face.
The team works closely with Glasgow Culture and Sport to create the perfect events programme for the city and to make sure the city’s parks and green spaces are utilised.
Communications and support manager Jane Alexander added: “Our biggest issue is budget as the council is pulling in our events – Proms in the Park is not happening this year.
Events manager Eddie Hutchison explained: “Our overall objective is to get people into the parks. To do that we create a lot of varied events as a trigger.
“We are trying to counteract this by attracting sponsors to some of the events and generating more partnership working with the private sector.
“We also deliver some of our own events and play a support role, getting big promoters to come in and use the parks and bring them to life.
“Budgets have been cut but people’s expectations are higher. It is very difficult to satisfy that expectation with a cut budget so we may have to look at introducing charging if the worst comes to the worst. Continued on Page 9
“It has always been important for this department to provide events
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One of the council’s biggest projects will take place in September when the Pope pays a visit to Glasgow. As part of his first official visit to the UK, he will be taking an outdoor mass in a local park – with the council playing a key role in the planning.
Team brings the Magic of Motown to Glasgow Continued from Page 8 “With the Glasgow Show, the rates are up for the first time in four years but we still want to make sure it is affordable for as many people as possible. “Delivering within budget has to be our priority. From an event perspective, it wouldn’t be my number one but we are getting a bit constrained
because of the budget situation.” As well as an already busy events programme, upcoming projects include staging an event next year to mark the opening of a new motorway extension. The team is also working on projects centred around the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with a remit to engage both tourists visiting the city and local people.
EVENTS which the council works on include The Glasgow Show – one of the city’s major events which attracts about 65,000 people. The two-day event at Glasgow Green includes a range of family friendly activities and entertainment including live music, street theatre and funfair. And this year, the council is going one step further by using the equipment and facilities already in place to host a Magic of Motown concert on
the Saturday evening. Jane added: “The infrastructure is already there for the Glasgow Show so we are holding an event there on the Saturday night, taking responsibility for the whole event. “We also have a programming and technical side to the team so have developed a site plan with them. We have got a lot of things in house – such as marquees and litter clearance – so we can stand alone on an event like this.”
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CROWD MANAGEMENT
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Crowd management is a vital consideration of any outdoor event. In this month’s column, Andy Cotton explains why ...
Bad crowd management can prove fatal ... THERE are far too many examples of badly managed crowds resulting in incidents ... One example was at a concert by The Who in Cincinnati in 1979, where 11 people died when 18,000 rock fans rushed the entrance of the Cincinnati Coliseum. Similar incidents can happen in any crowd environment – seven people were killed in Brazil and another seven in Zaire, by crowd stampedes during Pope John Paul II's 1980 tour. There is also a long list of crowd fatalities at football stadiums, including the 1970 incident in Glasgow that resulted in 66 deaths and 200 injuries. Correctly qualified, licensed and competent personnel should always undertake the function of crowd management and these personnel should come from a bona fide supplier. There is a great deal made of SIA licensed personnel in the UK but one must ask is the training course and licence from the SIA suitable qualifications for certain areas within the event industry, for instance ‘pit safety officers’. A comprehensive risk assessment should be undertaken for all areas of crowd management and this should identify the requirements
for each area. One of the items often missed and on a number of occasions the reason for injury is the insufficient use of suitable infrastructure for crowd management. In a recent event at the 2010 Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco, in excess of 10 people were killed when a wire fence apparently gave way under the pressure of the crowd. Site infrastructure should always be assessed with regard to the crowd dynamics of an event when it is contracted; barriers and fencing should always be able to stand up to any crowd pressures that may be exerted on them. This is especially important when considering the front of stage protection. When looking at the crowd management at the front of the stage, stage barrier design must be considered – curved, thrust or perhaps double barrier systems – these should come from risk assessments of the crowd. In 2008, TAO experienced the phenomenon of an Iggy Pop stage invasion. Understanding that a stage invasion was likely, we risk assessed the barriers using a curved system, that added to our other crowd management and safety procedures
Good crowd management at any event is essential which included steps at the front of the stage to make the invasion, which was extremely good natured, safer. The other crowd infrastructure area to be seriously considered is temporary or permanent seating. Incidents of ‘bleacher’ (temporary) seating collapsing causing injury or death have occurred on most parts of the world including the USA, UK and Brazil. Permanent seating should also be checked especially in older sports stadiums where seating is designed for sporting crowds and not concert crowds where rhythmic movement at a concert can cause stands to
move. The venue should also be suitable to take a massed crowd and should be part of the crowd management planning. Over the years there have been many incidents involving injury; in the Troitsa Festival in 1999 many were crushed and trampled when trying to get under cover in a subway station. Crowd management should also have contingency plans to stop the show as quickly as possible when an incident happens. This must be communicated to and signed off by all parties including the artist. Crowd management – everyone must go home!
New vests designed to monitor pressure build up HIGH tech vests which can help monitor the pressure building up in crowds are being trialled at events across the UK and Europe. The vests – developed by researchers at the International Centre for Crowd Management & Security Studies at Bucks New University – are designed to warn events organisers of a build-up of pressure in specific areas in the audience. They carry GPS locators and thermometers and transmit data to event managers so that they can monitor the pressure and temperature within the mass of people. The development team says that, until now, crowds have been modelled without the benefit of such real-time information from inside the crowd. Their experiments at a range of venues including Wembley, the V Festival, Milton Keynes Bowl and Roskilde in Denmark, aim to give events and security and crowd managers a picture of what is happening at music or sport venues, religious festivals or transport hubs. Professor Chris Kemp, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean:
Design, Media & Management at Bucks New University says the prototypes have given some insights into what goes on, revealing: “A relatively small number of people in an audience cause a large percent of the pressure – so 500 people could create just as much of an issue as 60,000.” Initial testing of the pressure vests has so far found: Artists can have a significant influence on crowd pressure through the sequence and type of songs in their playlist; Pressure can increase during a song but drops suddenly at the end when members of the audience raise their hands to applaud; The audience tires towards the end of a show, which appears to reduce the pressure. The vests are designed to complement information on crowd pressure received from MoJo Barriers’ Barrier Load Measuring System, one of the most technically advanced pieces of safety equipment in use at major music and sporting events. The University's crowd management centre has developed the vests in collaboration with a firm
which makes motor vehicle tyre pressure monitors, A M Bromley Ltd of Buxton, Derbyshire. Each vest comprises a cotton waistcoat containing a pneumatic tube, which houses pressure and temperature sensor systems – duplicated for increased reliability – which send data via a wireless link to a radio receiver which can be up to a mile away. Six vests can be monitored simultaneously. Temperature sensors are included because the build-up of heat when people are squashed together, partly as a result of anxiety, can quickly cause dehydration. Bucks New University's Prof Geoff Lawday has developed the suit in conjunction with colleague, Dr Tim Coole. Prof Lawday said the aim was to produce a commercial version of the vest, and to provide data to improve crowd models. He said crowd behaviour researchers typically use mathematical models which are hypothetical: “They don't hold up when you have large numbers of people funnelling into stairs or at the top of an escalator.”
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Detailed planning and consultation process needed for success By Mike Williams EXPERIENCE has shown that the management of successful crowd /safety management at outdoor events requires a detailed planning and consultation process. Although a comprehensive event planning process cannot guarantee a problem-free event, it enhances an event organiser’s ability to effectively respond to any problems that may occur. It is strongly recommended that the event organiser employs the services of professional competent persons to advise on how to address crowd management issues. These competent people should be appointed early in the event planning process. It is vital to consider crowd management. Even an event with a small attendance can become crowded – the capacity of each activity within the event is dependent upon the available space for people.
It may be that an event will only become crowded in particular areas, or at certain times, for example, in front of a stage, or if a VIP arrives in an area that can only hold a small number of people. It is important that the audience has a clear line of vision to the activity/stage to avoid movement towards the centre. The widest possible sight lines help to reduce audience density in front of the activity/stage and help minimise surging and the possibility of crushing injuries It is prudent that the general principle to be understood is that the viewing arena can be enjoyed by the audience in a safe and comfortable atmosphere. Consideration is to be taken on the nature of the entertainment, location, size and duration, audience demographics, crowd flows, access and egress of the event. It will also need to take into account the existing geographical, topographical and environmental
‘It is prudent that the general principle to be understood is that the viewing arena can be enjoyed by the audience in a safe and comfortable atmosphere’
Mike Williams infrastructure. Most outdoor event/festival venues are situated on green field sites or on the highways and therefore do not constitute purpose build entertainment arenas. These venues are therefore fixed and the entertainment designs and crowd management strategies need to planned early by the competent persons and be integrated within the Event Risk assessments, Event Safety Plan and Event Emergency Plans. Mike is event safety consultant at Capita Symonds.
Report highlights importance of good crowd management A NEW report has revealed the importance of implementing good crowd management plans at outdoor events. Research prepared by Buckinghamshire New University for the Health and Safety Executive looked at four high profile annual outdoor events to see how organisers were dealing with managing their crowds. The events – Flaming Tar Barrels at Ottery St Mary, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations, Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire and London’s Notting Hill Carnival – were all looked at in detail, with researchers interviewing key members of the organising teams and speaking to members of the public onsite. And the results revealed several areas of good practice which organisers of other outdoor events
could learn from. These included: The need to identify and allocate roles and responsibilities for the management of crowd safety at a preliminary stage. The use of a hazard identification, risk analysis and prioritisation approach to the safety of those attending. The need to match the organisational capacity of those involved in the event with the needs of the crowd. The crucial role of communication, both between the key organisations in the event and with the public. The importance of the public being provided with sufficient information and support to enable them to take appropriate responsibility for themselves while attending the event.
The value of feedback and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of crowd safety arrangements. Project manager Penny Mellor said: “What the case studies showed is how much crowd safety is a matter of clarity of roles of key players, collaboration, preparation and planning, as well as common sense. Local knowledge played an important part.” Bucks New University pro vice chancellor professor Chris Kemp added: “This was a challenging project. “We recognise that our research is just a start in collecting evidence of the good practice that seems to work to enhance crowd safety at particular events, and very much welcome feedback on the report and on how the factors we identified are relevant for other events.”
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INSURANCE
Why insurance should be a top priority
With the summer season now in full flow, the experts at Event Insurance highlight current trends among event organisers ...
Event organisers play it safe with cancellation cover THE event season is well and truly in full swing. Buoyed on the fantastic June sunshine, the country seems to have gone into event madness. Even our short- lived appearance at the World Cup failed to quash the enthusiasm for street parties, open gardens, festivals and fetes. Our resilience to two ridiculously wet summers and a recession has done little to dampen the spirits of those involved in organising events, big or small, many of which are the
epicentre of village or cultural life, providing that all so needed break from normality, even for just one day. One clear trend that has transpired as a result of these wet summers has been the increased amount of cancellation cover being taken out for events over the next couple of months; obviously those uninsured losses of the past have highlighted the necessity of this sometimes overlooked but imperative cover.
INSURING concerts, tours and festivals for cancellation should be a top priority with both artists and promoters to protect themselves should unforeseen problems arise. Surprisingly some choose not to, possibly because they think it’s too expensive and that they’ll have to pay for the cover before they get the ticket revenues through. At Doodson we can help with this without making the artist or promoter jump through several hoops. If it can be demonstrated to insurers that their event or tour is well organised with clear risk assessments, and contingency plans for potential problems i.e. use of secondary power for sound and lighting, plans for adverse weather conditions and an understanding that contractors have their
own liability insurance, then Doodson are adept at obtaining cost effective cover. The old adage, ‘one size fits all’, certainly doesn’t apply at Doodson. Promoters with contingency plans get better rates and better payment terms to deal with any cash flow issues. Paying for the cover needn’t be an issue though as we have several ways of helping with cash flow. Other areas which should be considered, and which can be handled by Doodson are liability and equipment cover. You need to be aware of what is written into hire agreements regarding who is responsible for the cover of equipment.
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Vital vibe draws in the crowds By Christina Eccles FESTIVALGOERS are drawn to an event more for its general vibe and atmosphere than who is playing, a survey has revealed. The Association of Independent Festivals spoke to almost 5,000 festivalgoers for its annual survey and over half of them said that the vibe, quality and character of an event was more important to them than the music on offer. Over 28 per cent said music generally was the biggest draw but choice of headliners only polled 11.9 per cent of the vote. The survey also looked at the mode of transportation festivalgoers use to get to events and discovered that car was still the most popular choice. However, 44.5 per cent of those travelling by car are with three or more people and over 50 per cent of those surveyed said they would be encouraged to use public transport if they were offered discounted tickets. AIF general manager Claire
O’Neill said: “Of course, this survey further cements the knowledge that festivals offer many entertainments and attractions aside from music, and that is the experience as a whole that so many people love. It is a shame that most people are still driving to festivals, however it was interesting to read many suggestions that a "fast track" queue for coach ticket holders would be an incentive to leave the car at home." The survey was completed by festivalgoers across 13 different festivals and also looked at issues such as accommodation, crime and spending habits – with the results showing that despite the recession, festivals are holding up well. 44.4 per cent said the recession affected how much they spend on festivals, but 59.4 per cent said the recession has affected how much they spend on other types of entertainment – suggesting festivalgoers are sacrificing other forms of entertainment in order to keep attending events.
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RADIO ONE BIG WEEKEND The sun shone for two days in North Wales as 40,000 excited fans partied at Radio One’s Big Weekend in Bangor. Christina Eccles met the key people who made it happen ...
Jason Carter
Festival offers the best in music – free
Cheryl Cole
A ROYAL visit from Prince William and friends was just one of many highlights for organisers of this year’s Big Weekend. 20,000 lucky ticket holders per day basked in the glorious sunshine of the Faenol Estate to hear some of the world’s biggest acts on their doorstep – and for free. Florence and the Machine, Alicia Keys, Cheryl Cole, JLS and Rihanna were just some of the acts appearing on the main stage – housed in a 10,000 per day capacity tent – while the In New Music We Trust stage saw performances from the likes of Faithless, MGMT and Vampire Weekend. The BBC Introducing stage also showcased some of the newest talent tipped for the top, while an outdoor
stage hosted by Radio One and sister station One Xtra provided the entertainment for those who preferred to soak up the sun outside. At any festival which happens year on year, organisers have the advantage of becoming familiar with the site and local area, making planning that little bit easier as time goes on. But as Big Weekend moves to a different part of the country each year, the team has the task of getting to grips with a new site, surrounding area and local council every time. The Main Event caught up with BBC Radio One’s head of live events Jason Carter on site who revealed how this year’s 10th event came together. He said: “It’s been fantastic. This is the best site we have ever used. It’s the first time we have used a private estate but it’s wonderful. We always want to find spaces that have character rather than a basic field.” But working in such a rural location has not been without its challenges – issues which organisers had worked hard to overcome during the planning stages. Jason added: “We deliberately go into places where there are lots of young people who are under served by this kind of event. “But it has had its challenges – simple things like hotels and accommodation for the crew and BBC staff – people are spread all across North Wales. The last two events were a stone’s throw away from London but I have been going back and forth over the last week.” Jason and his team have also had to work closely with Gwynedd Council to stage the event in Bangor. “The challenge for me, because it is a touring event, is to educate the council on the scale and profile of the event. We worked really hard to impress upon them the need for things like trains running after 9pm. We were also told a lot of people would probably drive to the show so there were also issues around parking. “This event has presented more challenges in that respect than any other event we have done. But that is probably why the area doesn’t have big events like this, so that’s more reason for us to come here. “Big Weekend is a rocket booster in terms of showing that we can do large scale events here. The council are very keen for more events to come here and for more music promoters to come. “The other challenge has been with the broadcasting. Welsh is the first language in North Wales so we had to
make sure we represented that on site. We had signage in both languages and moments where Radio One presenters such as Huw Stephens talked to the audience in Welsh. We also had some of the artists recording welcomes in Welsh. We had to talk to our colleagues at BBC Wales as it was important to get the right balance.” Jason also revealed how the event has progressed – and why artists and fans are so keen to be involved. “We put the show on around the same time every year so record companies are familiar with it. They know the markets they want to hit and work their schedules around it and Big Weekend is in the diary. “It is fantastic exposure for the artists and they enjoy it because it is a very different vibe. “The artists are performing for free, which creates a very unique vibe at the festival. Also the people here are feeling really proud that their area has been talked about so much for a month beforehand and that they are one of the lucky ones who got tickets. “Councils are now approaching us to host the event. We had three or four councils coming down asking if they could come and see the event. We used to have to go and convince people but now they can see the huge economic benefit the event can bring and how it is a great spotlight on an area.”
Pixie Lott
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RADIO ONE BIG WEEKEND
Ups and downs of a rural location
Almost half a million apply for tickets AS there is such a high demand for tickets to the show, it is also important for Radio One to ensure that those who aren’t successful in the ballot can still feel part of the event. Jason added: “We had just under 500,000 people apply for tickets, which shows the demand is there. The only other show we have done that had more people apply was the 2008 Big Weekend when we had Madonna on the bill. “People are delighted when we announce we are coming here then
suddenly there is a realisation that out of 480,000 who apply, 440,000 people will be disappointed. “On air, we always work hard to convey that it is almost like a golden ticket but there are lots of other things we do. “The best seat in the house is at home where people can watch all the action through live streaming and by using the red button so we push that quite heavily. We also do other smaller events, such as fringe gigs all around North Wales.”
LIVE Nation’s health and safety manager Paul Cook revealed why the event’s rural location can be seen as a blessing and a curse. He explained: “You generally get people who are far more interested and welcoming because of the uniqueness of putting on an event in their community – there is more willingness to help. But it is not easy to come to rural locations.
There is the cost implication of bringing infrastructure to a site such as Vaynol, but we have had nothing but cooperation. “High fuel prices are also an issue when you have to transport vehicles over long distances and road infrastructure is also important. “The other area of concern is noise. The residents on the estate are very important to us.”
Praise for new promoter THIS year also saw a new promoter coming in to work on the event and Jason added that the partnership between the BBC and Live Nation has worked extremely well. He added: “Live Nation have done a superb job. Big Weekend is our flagship event of the year and it is huge for Radio One and the BBC. “We have got to deliver it in a
methodical way and all measures have to be spot on – in that respect, I won’t spare any costs. “We felt Live Nation were the right people and we are really pleased. They have got a great team and are used to dealing with broadcasters. “The event gets serious coverage and with that comes a whole other layer of responsibility.”
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RADIO ONE BIG WEEKEND
Event took months of planning around the site and had a robust policy on the door, managing 40,000 people safely through the two days.”
HEAD of security at the event was Showsec’s Alan Wallace, assisted by colleague Simon Battersby and over 350 staff.
Simon added: “This event is different to standard festivals. Radio One targets areas where it wants to up its profile and deliver an event to people who don’t normally get one.
The site had 11 miles’ worth of perimeter so it was important to protect it from intruders while also making sure those who required access could enter and exit quickly and safely. Alan and the team worked closely with local security providers and residents to build up a thorough picture of the site and surrounding area and adopted a multi agency approach to ensure everything went to plan. He said: “It’s been a fantastic event in an excellent location. The event has taken months of planning to come together as we started the project management in December 2009. “It is a high end show and there are
“There is a high profile bill and demand is huge.
Alan and Simon lots of brand names to protect. That has definitely been forthcoming from Live Nation and the BBC, who received well our ideas on how to protect the site. “We have improved the fencing
“The event also brings an audience that may not normally go to festivals so we have issues around having to interpret unusual behaviour patterns. Welsh is also the first language here so we have had to embrace and respect that. “We have worked with local Welsh speaking security as it is also important to support the local economy and recruit local staff.”
‘Integration between the two teams has been fantastic’ LIVE Nation’s John Probyn and his team kicked off another busy festival season working on Radio One Big Weekend. He added: “I’ve really enjoyed it. We have worked with the BBC for years but never this closely with BBC radio. But the feedback we have had is that they are happy. It’s their event, not ours so it is very different to working on our own
shows. Almost everything we do is our own so we only answer to ourselves. “For us it is predominantly about selling tickets so we have had to take all the lessons we have learned and integrate them with the strict guidelines that the BBC have to deal with. “Because we are a big blue chip company, we have certain politics we have
to deal with. So when we started working with the BBC, we could understand where they were coming from. “The integration between the two teams has been fantastic. Showsec have also been brought back in and they have dealt with the unique problems that an event like this can bring very well.”
Contractors ADLIB Audio All Alliance Andy Grey B20 Event Services BPM Production Britannia Row Productions Buffalo Power Services CBA Spindlewood CJC Productions Clockwork Production Corvus Security Consultant EMO Entertee Hire Services Eve Trakway Festival Flags Firefly Solar Logistik Mobile Disko Mojo Barriers Parks of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) PTG Productions PTL Sharp-Fire Siyan soc Stage Miracles Stage Wolves Star Events Group STS Touring Productions Tempsite Installations Vanguardia Consulting William G.Search XL Video
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This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show sold out earlier than ever and contained even more features to entertain the crowds. Christina Eccles spoke to organiser Alex Denman.
Delivering quality year in, year out ALEX told The Main Event that everyone involved with the show was really pleased with how this year’s event went and are already looking ahead to next year. She explained: “We were delighted. It was a really good show. We had the earliest sell out we have ever had – selling out 12 days early. We sold 157,000 tickets so there was a huge amount of interest. “The key is being able to deliver quality year in, year out and visitors always see something different. People are fed up with the recession and like to see something that cheers them.” This year, the show had a new sponsor – M&G Investments – with the company also introducing its own catering facility into the show ground to entertain guests. And Alex said one of the most challenging things about putting the show together is fitting everything in to the space they have available. She added: “It’s quite difficult to make large scale changes so we have
to be quite creative and work hard to make what we do work for the show ground. “We had to make room for the facility, which meant it taking away space from content elsewhere. The back of house kitchens were also in a very tight space so we had to ensure the type of food they wanted could be prepared there. “But they were delighted with the show and are sponsoring it for the next two years.” Alex also revealed the value which sponsors such as M&G bring to the event and what the show looks for in a sponsor. “In sponsors, we look for people who share the same values as us such as quality and longevity. When two bodies are working very closely together, there has to be a lot of synergy in their values. “Having sponsorship allows us to do different things within the show ground. It’s not just for the Chelsea Flower Show, it filters through to our other projects.”
Up-turn in weather saves the day ACCORDING to Alex, everything went well with this year’s show, although at one point organisers were concerned by the ever unpredictable British weather. She added: “It was a very smooth show. We were concerned at one
point because we had a very late spring. We had cold weather which was terrible for the plants. “We did wonder what state they would be in but fortunately the weather turned about two weeks before the show.”
An impressive range of temporary structures formed the backdrop to this year’s show – provided by suppliers such as De Boer and GL events Owen Brown. De Boer’s contribution included the show’s centre piece, the Great Pavilion – a 12,000-square-metre floor structure, equivalent to the size of two football pitches. Meanwhile Owen Brown was on hand to supply its Absolute double deck structure for the Ranleagh restaurant and food court as well as 16 hospitality units, which were available for private hire.
CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
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CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
In pictures ...
Pictures: Jon Enoch, RHS photographer
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DOWNLOAD
‘Strong line-up is key’ ABOUT 95,000 people descended on Donington for this year’s 30th anniversary event to watch AC/DC and other headliners including Aerosmith and Rage Against the Machine. And Neil added that the lasting success of the event is down to a mixture of factors. He added: “We were very pleased. Download is
always a tough event to work on because of the amount of production involved but it all went very well. It’s a combination of the site, the bands and the way the promoter presents it. A lot of effort goes into the site and a great amount of work. “But a strong line-up is key. If you haven’t got the bands that people want to see, they won’t come.”
Contractors XL Video Wernick Stageco Showsec Star
PTL Eve BRM A Plant Search
Field and Lawn Marquees PRD G4S Buffalo
Co-ordinated crowd management operation for Download SHOWSEC successfully implemented a comprehensive security and crowd management operation at the largest ever Download. Operations director Simon Battersby was appointed as the festival’s head of security, prior to seven months of strategic planning that led into co-ordinating 1,300 security professionals and stewards at the event. He explained: “Live Nation were keen to have a more co-ordinated
overriding security operation which managed the increased size and scale of Download this year more effectively. My new role within the festival management team meant that I engaged all stakeholders from Leicestershire police, licensing authorities and the festival crime prevention team, to other contractors securing the campsite and car park areas. As a result, we consolidated the security operations across the site,
sharing information, resources, and ensuring clear communication between all parties, which led to improved security for everyone on site.” Showsec’s southern regional manager Steve Reynolds oversaw the complex event security operation, which spanned the five stages, markets, entrances and perimeter. He added: “The crowd management at Download has always been a very
carefully coordinated operation, maintaining the barriers and large numbers fans over five different stages. “In addition, with AC/DC bringing their own stage this year, our teams in the main arena had to adapt their operation in line with the barrier and crowd layout changes that were the result of a change of stage between Friday night and Saturday morning.”
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DOWNLOAD Left: Neil Mcdonald and, right, crowds enjoy Download. After completing work on Download, Neil and the team were straight on to their next job in London’s Hyde Park. Find out how they got on next issue when The Main Event visits this year’s Wireless Festival.
Headliners bring their own stage By Christina Eccles TWO main stages were used for the first time ever at this year’s Download Festival after Friday night headliners AC/DC brought their own. Stageco provided the two main stages for the event and on site at Donington were a team of seven Stageco steel-builders, 32 local crew, eight fork lift drivers and eight site crew to make sure that everything went according to plan. Although having to accommodate two main stages could have provided a headache for organisers Live Nation, according to production manager Neil Mcdonald everything went smoothly. He explained: “Having two main stages actually solved a lot of issues. It meant that AC/DC could accommodate all of their own production as
it would have been a challenge to incorporate it on to the other stage. “AC/DC are one of those acts that have been doing their own shows for a while and have a very clear idea of how they want to present them. “Using Stageco for both stages meant that we could have another stage of a similar size and scale. They were bookended with video screens so it looked more like one structure. “One of the biggest challenges was to design a barrier system that could work for both. This then had to be changed over, which was an enormous task.” This task fell to Mojo Barriers which used 1,540m of its barriers at the event – making it the company’s largest single festival to date. 1,000m of barrier was used in the main stage arena (all other stages were closed for the AC/DC show)
with 540m positioned on the other four festival stages. Mojo Barriers’ Jim Gaffney added: “The use of two stages, with one only being used for AC/DC, presented us with a unique crowd management situation. Audience safety is of prime consideration to Live Nation so there were months of planning meetings with key people including festival director John Probyn, head of safety Paul Cook and Showsec’s head of security, Simon Battersby. “There were 12 full barrier designs prepared, which were debated and subjected to multiple scenarios until we arrived at the final, precisely considered configuration. “The successful overnight changeover following AC / DC’s show on Friday to a brand new barrier configuration was a testament to the professionalism of the crew, who started
work at 11.30pm and worked through to 9am the next morning.” Leicestershire Police worked with Download’s organisers and traffic management experts to make sure the journey to and from the festival was hassle free. A traffic management system – devised by SEP – was implemented at the event to make it easier for festivalgoers to get in and out of Donington Park and to minimise delays for other road users. Organisers also encouraged as many people as possible to travel on public transport. Shuttle buses were provided to get people from Derby and Loughborough train stations and festivalgoers were also encouraged to travel together using car sharing website liftshare.com
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CRICK BOAT SHOW
Subtle changes keep show afloat ... By Christina Eccles CROWDS of 28,000 flocked to the UK’s premier waterways event, organised by Richmond Event Management. The company is four years into a five-year contract to work on the Crick Boat Show and has seen it grow into a weekend, not just for boating enthusiasts, but which the whole family can enjoy. According to organiser Mike Richmond, making subtle changes to the event is the key to its success – improving the visitor experience without making the well-loved show unrecognisable.
He explained: “We re-designed the site layout this year, deciding to focus more on the land based village and make it easier to get around. We gave the land based boats more space so people could queue more easily. “With an event that has been going for 10 years, you don’t want to be changing too much overnight. “But now it is easier to get around and to park and there are two main entrances. These changes make the experience better for visitors and also for the traders as well.” Mike added that the show has managed to sustain itself in a tough climate by making sure both visitors
rem plan and run every type of event...
Carefully. Thoroughly. Meticulously. Maybe the secret is little more than the years of experience or maybe it’s an obsession with getting things right. Richmond Event Management,
59 Prince Street, Bristol, BS1 4QH. t: 0117 927 6614 f: 0117 922 1497 www.rem-events.com
and exhibitors are happy with what they get from attending. A day ticket price of £9 per adult means that families can afford to come through the doors and traders gain access to people who are genuinely interested in their products. He added: “This industry has had a hard time of it and anybody attending an event as an exhibitor would maybe think twice. But they know when they come to Crick that everybody they need is going to be there. The audience is very focused and the event is strictly focused on waterways.” “When we took it on, we put more
of an events spin on it. We uplifted how it looked and expanded the day. Over the years, the audience demographic has changed. The age range is now wider and the event has national significance. People are coming from all over the country. “There was a lull in this industry but we have managed to keep our trader base. We have sustained the event by our purchasing power and doing better deals with contractors. “We are not making lots of money but we are sustaining a level that makes it worthwhile. It’s an enjoyable event and important one in the calendar for people in this field.”
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BRADFORD MELA
Co-ordination proves biggest challenge to council team
A JOINED up approach between several different council departments ensured this year’s Bradford Mela went off without a hitch. The event was run through Bradford Council’s department of culture, tourism and sport with other departments such as markets and leisure also lending their expertise. About 100,000 people attended the two day event and events manager Vanessa Mitchell said partnership work between departments and extensive consultation with local people meant that a range of skills from across the board could be used to enhance the event. She said: “The event was very much a pulling together of different departments, which was an interesting way of working. We were able to share resources which worked very well.” Co-ordinating all the different aspects, such as street theatre and live music, which make up the event was the biggest challenge the team faced. But although the Mela is free and no tickets are given out, organisers made sure that crowd control did not become an issue.
Programming was looked at carefully to make sure enough activities were on at any one time to keep the crowds spread out. The event originally formed part of the Bradford Festival but developed in its own right into a stand alone event – meaning the council brought the planning back in house. And Vanessa added they have taken care to make sure different stages are providing something for everyone and creating a family friendly atmos-
Andy Stevens
‘We know how Mike thinks and vice versa ...’ THE task of crowd management at Bradford Mela was dealt with by AP Security – which Mike Richmond has employed as his preferred supplier in that area for the 2010 season. General manager Andy Stevens said: “It’s important that an event management company such as Mike Richmond and his team can put total trust in all their suppliers, from the stage, lighting, sound and PR through to the crowd management company he employs, ensuring that he has the best possible infrastructure in place. “If Mike has an issue or a problem, he might need some sort of physical equipment to solve it. But in the
meantime, he is reliant on the relevant part of his on-site team to ensure that the equipment problem remains just that and doesn’t involve any members of the public. And, if that happens, he has complete confidence in any short term solution we provide.” Andy sited a crack in a metal bridge at Bradford Mela as one such issue. He added: “The extent of the risk was unclear, so we needed to have a clear strategy to control the flow of the crowd away from the bridge until the problem was solved. “We know how Mike thinks and vice versa. And that is the key to a successful relationship.”
phere – without it losing any of its original vibrancy. She added: “We have had to look at crowd control. There were issues we inherited where some types of music were attracting lots of people but we have toned it down a bit and made it family focused with careful programming.” Vanessa added that improvements to the Mela are always being looked at – with local people playing a vital part in the event’s success.
Health and safety at the event was dealt with by TESS, headed up by Mike Richmond. He added: “It is such a vibrant event, but from a safety perspective it is different to other events we do so it has to be sensitively managed. “The Mela also requires a degree of sensitivity with regard to traders. Some of the things which they bring on site are more suited to households rather than outdoor events so we have the issue of electrical safety. “One of our challenges is to work in an advisory capacity to explain what is appropriate for an event site. “We are working with people who are not used to working on an event site but they were very willing to listen.”
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GLASTONBUDGET From a first festival which lost thousands, to a sell-out event this year, the organisers of Glastonbudget have experienced both highs and lows. Christina Eccles caught up with them on site at this year’s festival ...
The mecca of tribute ... A SITE tour with organiser Chris Dunn gave The Main Event a feel of what Glastonbudget is really about. After bumping into several of the student volunteers who were hard at work on the festival, Chris – who also works as a teacher at Soar Valley Music Centre – explained why it was so vital to get them involved. The centre is open to young people with the ambition to get into the music industry and as part of their courses, they are offered the chance to work at the festival – something which Chris feels is a huge part of the event. He said: “’We want to show that young people can find work in music and reward new talent. “We have over 130 bands on over the weekend and over 1,000 audition – it is all about giving people a chance. “The whole event has genuine volunteers and it is an important part of helping them get into the industry.” Glastonbudget started life in a local pub as an idea formed between two friends – Chris and Nick Tanner – and
is now in its sixth year. This year, more than 6,000 fans descended on Turnpost Farm near Leicester to see some of the world’s biggest tribute acts. But this was not always the case. A 10,000 capacity first event attracted less than 700 festivalgoers, leaving organisers hugely out of pocket and with a number of suppliers who needed payment... Chris added: “We charged £27.50 for tickets but in terms of what it cost us, it worked out at £86 for each person who attended. “There was a lot of goodwill and negotiation. We explained [to suppliers] that we were trying to do a good thing and we would pay and there was a lot of understanding. “We got to break even last year and this year was a sell out. We are not ones to give up on something. We believe in what this is and a lot of people are now picking up on what we are trying to do here. “We are now the mecca of tribute and have had requests to perform from bands in Japan, Spain and
America. The budget is not there to pay people to travel yet but it will be.” These days, tickets go on sale in July for the following year and prices start at just 99p. A lucky few are able to snap them up before the price, as Chris says, “builds almost like a
budget airline.” Adult weekend tickets for this year’s event were £54.50, which also included camping and parking, and festivalgoers were treated to performances from acts including The Fillers, Green Date and Four Fighters.
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Pictured, from left: festival director Chris Dunn, health and safety manager Nigel Haley and promoter Nick Tanner.
Contractors Production – OneBigStar Video screen – OneBigStar / A.C. Video / InnovaLED Video Content – Green Hippo / Digital Insanity Stage – Serious Stages Power – Power Logistics Big top – AJ Bigtops First aid – Red Cross Toilets and Showers – D Tox Radios – CSUK Skips – Bakers Waste Porta cabins – Elliot Hire Marquees – Chelsea Hire Fencing – Eve Trakway Site crew – A Tech Insurance – Doodsons
Big plans, great potential ... BIG plans are already in place for future years and according to the team behind the event, it has great potential. But they stressed the importance of not growing too fast and losing the ethos which the festival is famous for. Nigel Haley from Haley’s Risk and Safety Management is one supplier who has worked on the event from the start. He added: “This festival is growing year on year and it has a nice vibe to it. “We can grow but need to make sure it is done in key moves so the event still has this lovely vibe. There is a lot of potential to develop.”
Simon Taylor
Company plays vital role PRODUCTION company OneBigStar played a vital role in the event after securing a three-year contract to supply light, sound and staging. The company worked closely with the festival’s two main sponsors, Shuttlesound and Roland Systems Group, to further enhance the festival experience. The Roland Systems Group equipped the VIP backstage marquee as a ‘silent stage’ – providing space and equipment for bands to rehearse before their performance – as well as being available for those who wanted to try their hand at being a musician.
Shuttlesound catered for the festival’s PA needs with Electro-Voice loudspeakers and amps and promoted the event to its VIP customers by offering them a weekend at the festival. OneBigStar’s Simon Taylor said: “The relationship that has developed between us, the organisers and these leading industry manufacturers is unique and exciting. “The event gets to sound and look great, we get great support for our kit and the suppliers get to road test and show their products in a real environment.”
EVOLUTION
Chilled out SPECIALIZED Security used about 150 of its staff at the event to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for festivalgoers. The Main Event caught up with Specialized’s Tom Clements on site who revealed how working on the festival is different to most of the other projects he is involved with. He explained: “Because the event is in a city centre, we have got to work around the contours of the land and deal with things such as road closures. The event presents different problems to the ones you get on a green field site. It’s a chilled out event. The atmosphere is nice and local people are delighted because it is putting the North East on the map. The council is very supportive because they want something like this to come here.”
Contractors SGB CBA Spindlewood Specialized Security Beaver 84 Nixon Hire PE Loos4Hire Britannia Row Event Cover Innovation Eat to the Beat Alan Fairbairn A&J Big Tops Siyan Eve
Third site proves a winner THE organiser of the Evolution Festival has revealed how adding a third site has given the event more of a ‘festival feel’. The event has traditionally taken place over two sites on NewcastleGateshead’s famous quayside, which this year included performances from acts including Paolo Nutini, Tinchy Stryder and Calvin Harris. But now organisers have introduced a third site – giving festivalgoers even more for their money and allowing them to showcase new genres such as blues and folk. The festival prides itself on offering great value for money with weekend tickets costing just £25. And according to festival organiser Jim Mawdsley, having another area to visit enhanced the event experience event further. He explained: “Our event is all on concrete and this site is grass so it created more of a festival atmosphere. “Adding the Ballast Hill stage has made it feel like a proper festival so we want to introduce even more to add to that. Perhaps more decor on the main site, more interesting food stalls and attractions.” But the location of the new site was not without its challenges. Jim added: “In order to make sure we got the third site, there is a pub up the road leading to it, which we had to close. So that pub became part of the site.
But the owners were really positive and we had a lot of people congregating around there. Some people say it is quite far between the two main sites but there is nowhere else for us to put it. “It is challenging. Especially because the Baltic stage is in a different local authority so needs a different licence. We are dealing with two different councils but everyone has got used to the way we work.” Jim also revealed the biggest issues which occur when pulling the event together: “Our biggest challenge is being in the city centre and convincing the audiences that they are going to a festival so may not be able to get into a particular arena because it is full. That mentality is one of our biggest challenges so we are trying to encourage people that if you buy in to it, you buy in to the two days. “I’m really pleased with how the event went. We had a big uplift in tickets this year. The event started off free but we have steadily increased the ticket price. “But with this we have also invest-
ed in production and artists. This year, we have gone from 23,000 a day to 29,500. And on the first day we sold out so we are going the right way. “We are always looking at making improvements. We know where our capacity is now but we still think we can improve things. Near the main stage, we were very busy in certain parts so we may move front of house back and maybe put in another screen.”
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ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL
Big screen offers visitors best of both worlds By Christina Eccles THIS year’s Isle of Wight Festival pleased football fans after organisers included a big screen so England supporters could cheer on their team. 10,000 festivalgoers watched the World Cup game against the USA on the screen, which was put up after organiser John Giddings decided to do something to encourage fans to stay on site rather than leave to find somewhere to watch the football. He said: “I’m glad I put up the screen. I didn’t want people going off site to look for a TV so expanded the site to accommodate it.” The idea worked so well that John is now planning to include the area at future festivals and is considering creating a new feature such as an outdoor cinema. John also said this year’s festival was the best yet and its strong and diverse line up helped it to stand out from the crowd. He added: “It went incredibly and every performance was brilliant. This year we had artists from completely different genres – from Jay Z and Kanye West to The Strokes and Paul McCartney.”
But he insists that the festival does not completely rely on its acts to please the crowds and instead makes sure there are plenty of other activities also taking place throughout the weekend. “There has got to be more to the event than just groups on a stage. People like to have fun and do different things. Things such as our fairground rides are really popular.” He added that since the start, the festival has improved as everyone working on it gets to know the event and feel comfortable with the roles they play. “The festival has come of age. This is our ninth year and it takes a lot of time to get it all right. “We are not making it bigger, we are making it better. It takes 30 minutes to walk from one end of the site to the other, which is enough. “We had a lot less issues this year. Crime was down substantially in the campsite. Everyone knows what their job is and how to do it. We had more CCTV and were harsher on anybody messing around. You can’t let a few people ruin it for a lot of other people.”
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WEST END LIVE The world’s largest free theatre festival took over London’s Leicester Square for a weekend of family fun which attracted crowds of 250,000. Christina Eccles went along ...
Stage stars sparkle at free festival By Christina Eccles SOME of the biggest names in the West End took to the stage in Leicester Square showcasing the hottest shows in London to an eager crowd – some of which had been queuing since the early morning to get a prime position. This year marked the sixth West End Live and according to organiser Westminster City Council it has got bigger and better over the years – with research identifying a surge in ticket sales in the weeks following the festival. Deputy leader of Westminster City Council Coun Robert Davis explained: "West End shows are well loved and what makes London so unique. People see excerpts for free and then come back and see the whole show.” He also said the most important aspects of the show are that it is something for the whole family to enjoy, an event for Londoners not just for tourists and that it remains free. But achieving these objectives is not always easy. He added: "Our biggest challenge is raising the money – it costs £250,000 to put the event on, which is funded through sponsorship. "Fortunately local businesses recognise the importance of the event and that it is important it stays free. Sponsors are a vital part.” Although working in the heart of a city is never easy, Westminster Council is at an advantage on this event because the land where the festival is held is actually council owned.
Vast experience organising other events such as film premieres in the area also comes in handy when it comes to getting everything in place and, just as importantly, removing it all at the end. Production manager Andy Cheeseman added: “We have worked on a lot of film premieres so we know about working in Leicester Square. There is the logistical challenge to deal with plus the health and safety challenge of managing the volume of people. “We also have the issue of keeping the park open for as long as possible while putting in the infrastructure. It’s a four day build and we will be out on Monday night.”
The shows WEST End shows which took part included: Dirty Dancing Wicked We Will Rock You Billy Elliot Love Never Dies Chicago HAIR Jersey Boys Sweet Charity Grease Mamma Mia! Sister Act Thriller Live Avenue Q Stomp Legally Blonde Disney’s The Lion King
Contractors Andrew Cheeseman Productions LMD screen hire Bees Marquees System Sound
Utopium Lighting Capital Barriers SFM Security Prima Flooring
Event has positive effect on ticket sales EVENT director Richie Gibson explained how the packed weekend itinerary was pulled together. He added: “My job involves putting the schedule together, working closely with SOLT to get the shows on board. “With a lot of the shows, we have to work between the slot of 11am to 3pm as they have matinee performances to get to, so that involves a lot of juggling around. “To decide running order, we have to take into account what time each show’s matinee performance is and which theatre they have to get to. “We have tried to make it much more of a weekend event. “This year, we had 12 West End shows running on the Sunday and the most shows we have ever had. “The shows can see that the event has real tangible benefits and a positive effect on ticket sales.”
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Event Show opportunity for all NOEA members NOEA stand at Event UK – September 21 and 22, NEC Birmingham FOLLOWING the success of last year’s show, this is the largest exhibition for the events market outside London. Event UK offers a diverse visitor base – around 4,000 industry professionals created new business contacts right across the country last year. A broad range of buyers, including corporate end users to associations and local government departments to event management companies all looking for something a bit different, which means that exhibitors have the opportunity to promote themselves effectively across the events spectrum. 67 per cent of visitors have budget approval or recommendation. 33 per cent of visitors have annual budgets of between £100,000 to over £1m. NOEA will be exhibiting at the show and members are invited to attend as part of the NOEA area. There will be a pod system and for £1,400 ex vat you can have a presence on the stand. This fee will cover the stand fee and all graphics, you provide your literature. In addition there are the following PR benefits: Free publicity form – submit as soon as possible (FREE) Web profile – upload up to 50 words text, logo and press releases on
Auntie NOEA WELCOME to the summer at long last. My seaweed tells me it's going to be far more kind than the last. Please don't dry up, if you have anything at all to say, shout about or ask, email me at auntienoea@googlemail.com. Dear Auntie Noea The council have told me that unless I have £3,000,000 worth of public liability insurance cover, I can't hold the
Diary Dates September 21-22 Event UK NEC September 30 – October 1 Northern Ireland conference October 20 – 21 Showman’s Show, Newbury Mid November Scottish conference (venue tbc) November 26 Regional conference and AGM (venue tbc) Contact details: Susan Tanner PO Box 4495, Wells. BA5 9AS. (T) 01749 674 531 (E) secretary@noea.org.uk to your enhance web profile, so when prospective visitors are going through the exhibitor list they can read or find out as much about you as possible (FREE) Event Guide entry – submit your 50 words for the Event Guide which is handed out to visitors at the entrance (FREE) Tickets – you can order as many tickets as you want to send to your own clients/ prospects (for example with personalised letters – don’t forget to include your stand number and dates) (FREE)
Visitor list hire – you can blind mailer pre-registered visitors, and attendees post-show, by renting Event UK’s data (exclusive to exhibitors only) Sponsorship opportunities – opportunities are available to enhance your presence at the show, both pre-show (drives visitors to your stand) and on-site (brand recognition). If you would like to join NOEA’s stand please contact Susan Tanner on (01749) 674 531.
traditional French street market in our town's market place. Is this true? Jean-Paul Bonjour Jean-Paul Anyone arranging an event of any kind would be insane if they didn't arrange appropriate insurance. How much cover is needed is usually for the organiser to decide but the council can dictate that if it is a condition attached to (for example) a licence granted under the Licensing Act or an agreement to allow the organiser to obstruct a highway dur-
ing the event. Opening a dialogue with the council to agree something reasonable and sensible is usually the best way forward. And don't forget to shop around for your insurance. There are even specialist event insurers – talk to them and brokers. It's also well worth looking at the National Market Traders Federation too – a good body to join and they also offer insurance. Auntie Noea and Uncle Phil
Conference offers discount to NOEA members Event Risk, Safety and Security conference September 20-23 2010 Olympia Conference Centre, London NOEA is supporting this event and members who wish to attend will be entitled to a 15 per cent discount. The conference is a unique platform for sharing best practice and effective strategies to manage critical issues of risk, safety and security which apply to every public or participant event, large or small. For further information please contact Chris Trainor. T: +971 4 3365161 F: +971 4 3364021 chris.trainor@informasportsgroup.com www.eventrisksafetyandsecurity.com
Membership offer IF you are not already a member of NOEA now is the time to join. The membership year runs from September 1 but if you join now you will get two months free membership. There are many benefits – such as newsletters, training, conferences and conventions. Professional advice is available and new benefits will include discounts on hotel rooms with a national chain of hotels and discounted advertising in the Main Event Magazine.
NOEA general secretary Susan Tanner
Further information is available on the web site www.noea.org.uk or please call Susan on 01749 674 531.
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365 - SUPPLIER DIRECTORY
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Audio Visual
Event Branding
Arcstream AV Unit 22 Nonsuch Industrial Estate Kiln Lane Epsom Surrey KT17 1DH T: 01372 742 682 M: 07813 825 215 F: 01372 737 279 E: neil.m@arcstreamav.com www.arcstreamav.com
Piggotts Branding 43 London Road Stanford Rivers Ongar Essex CM5 9PJ T: 01277 363262 E: kelly.seymour@piggotts.co.uk www.piggotts.co.uk
Bars
Event Power
Eagle Event Bars 58-60 Vicarage House Kensington Church Street Kensington London W8 4DB T: 0207 368 3344 M: 07790 614401 E: dyrig@eaglehospitality.co.uk www.eaglehospitality.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
BRM Productions Unit 12 Canalside Industrial Park Kinoulton Road Cropwell Bishop Notts NG12 3BE T: 0115 989 9955 M: 07860 285305 F: 0115 989 9977 E: power@brm-productions.co.uk
Health & Safety Event Safety 12 Vale Avenue Bury BL9 9LW M: 07812 159 339 T: 0161 763 7020 E: kevin@event-safety.org www.event-safety.org
Communications Insurance Services 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
Crowd Management A.P. Security (North) Ltd. 33 Metro Centre Dwight Road Watford Herts WD189SB T: 0870 412 2232 E: johnphillips@apsecurity.co.uk www.apsecurity.co.uk Event Security Solutions Limited B1-B6 The Alison Business Centre 40 Alison Crescent Sheffield S2 1AS T: 0114 283 5948 E: info@eventsecuritysolutions.co.uk www.eventsecuritysolutions.co.uk G4S Events Sutton Park House 15 Carshalton Road Sutton Surrey SM1 4LD T: 0800 085 9899 E: sales@uk.g4s.com www.g4s.com/uk-events Specialized Security 4 Fairways Business Park Deer Park Livingston EH54 8AF T: 01506 442255 E: tom@specializedsecurity.co.uk www.specializedsecurity.co.uk
Emergency Heating & Cooling Carrier Rental Systems Wigan Road Leyland Preston PR25 5XW T: 0800 026 4717 E: info@CarrierRentalSystems.co.uk
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 Event Insurance Services Limited Event House 20A Headlands Business Park Ringwood BH24 3PB T: 01425 470360 E: info@events-insurance.co.uk www.events-insurance.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
Piggotts Marquees 43 London Road Stanford Rivers Ongar Essex CM5 9PJ T: 01277 363262 E: richard.treml@piggotts.co.uk www.piggotts.co.uk
Medical Management 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 Venture Event Medical Management Copperfield House 47 Leeds Road Gawthorpe Ossett West Yorkshire WF5 9QW T: 07988 388461 E: enquiries@ventureemm.co.uk www.ventureemm.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 PKL Group (UK) Ltd, Stella Way Bishops Cleeve Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL52 7DQ T: 01242 663000 E: postbox@pkl.co.uk www.pkl.co.uk
Promotional Staff ACG : Artimis Creative Group Hickory House Primsland Close Monkspath Solihull B90 4YH T: 0121 703 3168 M: 07977 252308 E: info@artimis.co.uk www.artimis.co.uk
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
Screen Hire XL Video 2 Eastman Way Hemel Hempstead Herts HP27DU T: 01442 849400 E: info@xlvideo.tv www.xlvideo.com
Staging Centre Stage Events Unit 108a Leyland Trading Estate Irthlingborough Road Wellingborough T: 01234 783234 E: info@centrestageevents.com www.centrestageevents.com 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 Outdoor Staging Company Ltd 1 Langley Drive Castle Bromwich B35 7AD T: +44(0)7866 470 293 E: info@outdoorstage.co.uk www.outdoorstage.co.uk 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
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
Ticketing Performance Ticket Printers Ltd The Smithy Brownlow Heath Congleton CW12 4TJ T: 01260 276164 E: austin@ticketprinters.co.uk www. ticketprinters.co.uk
Trade Associations NOEA Susan Tanner PO Box 4495 WELLS. BA5 9AS T: 01749 674 531 E: secretary@NOEA.org.uk www.noea.org.uk
Venues Fabric London Level 2 Greenhill House Cowcross Street London EC1M 6B T: 020 7549 4844 E: celine@fabriclondon.com www.fabricevents.com
Marquee Stakes Water supplies Sound & Lighting and Accessories Ansell Hand Tools
72 Catley Road Darnall Sheffield S9 5JF T: 0114 244 8098 E: ansellhandtools@aol.com www.ansellhandtools.co.uk
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
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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POWER SUPPLY
FAIRGROUNDS
TOILET HIRE WASTE MANAGEMENT
MEDICAL
CATERING
VEHICLE HIRE
The Event Medicine Company Unit D, Central Estate, Albert Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1SZ Tel: 01252 313005 Email: info@eventmedicinecompany.co.uk www.eventmedicinecompany.co.uk
BARS
BALLOONS
STAGE HIRE
EVENT HIRE
RADIO HIRE
EVENT BRANDING
PORTABLE ROADWAY
RECYCLING
LARGE SCREEN HIRE
HEATING & COOLING
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