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Main Event makes the news ...
Organisers face revenue challenge By Christina Eccles ORGANISERS could be forced to find new ways to make money at their events instead of relying on revenue from ticket sales, according to experts. A growing demand for free or low cost events could drive ticket prices down or lead to some ditching them altogether to compete. The news comes as organisers of a new festival – Heavenly Planet in Reading – decided to scrap ticket prices to make the event more accessible and attract more people. Festival partner Thomas Brooman explained: “This was a very calculated, planned decision which will make the event accessible and less pressured. “It is a challenge to get a festival off the ground and for it to be popularly received in the current economic climate. Selling a commercial show, we felt was going to be very difficult. “But we have realised that what we actually want to do is different. We want a lot of participation from local people and a day designed to appeal to everybody.” Thomas also said the festival would
explore other ways to make money including looking for sponsors. He added: “It will be a case of seeing how it goes. Local businesses will hopefully come in with some support.” Scott Barton from The Sheffield Events Company – which specialises in organising free or low cost events – added if money from ticket sales is not an option, it can be challenging for organisers to find other revenue streams. He said the company’s events such as Fright Night – which attracts 38,000 visitors – are boosted by sponsors and partners which play an important role. He added: “The events we organise are free or relatively low cost and we have seen a pattern towards people looking for entertainment that is not too expensive. “But if you are entirely losing that income from ticket sales, it is going to put other pressures on budget so the event might require more sponsorship or partnerships. “We have developed lots of partnerships on a local and regional level which will benefit from the event while also helping us to put it on.”
THE Main Event was among the winners at this year’s NOEA Tribute Celebration Awards – which recognise achievement in the outdoor events industry. The magazine was awarded the President’s Special Tribute Award for outstanding contribution and support of the National Outdoor Events Association at a ceremony which took place at The Oxford Belfry Hotel. The event also included NOEA’s annual convention – celebrating 30 years of the association – where speakers including legendary promoter Harvey Goldsmith, shadow Tourism, Licensing and Gambling minister Tobias Ellwood and David Stubbs, head of environment and sustainable development for London 2012 addressed delegates under the theme of what has been learned over the last 30 years and how NOEA can go forward in the next 30. For a full round up of award winners see Page 18 The Main Event was delighted to pick up the President’s Special Award at NOEA’s Tribute Celebration Evening – recognising the successful relationship between the magazine and the National Outdoor Events Association. Pictured are The Main Event’s Christina Eccles and Adam Parry accepting the award on behalf of the magazine.
The Main Event is the official magazine of the National Outdoor Events Association
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Sugababes join the forest tour Page 4 Geoff is tackling a tents issue Page 8
Local authority spotlight Page 12 NOEA Page 28 Training and recruitment Page 19 Classified Pages 22 & 23
CONTACTS EDITORIAL Group Editor Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 editorial@themaineventmagazine.co.uk
Lovebox 2007
Agency heads back to its outdoor roots By Christina Eccles A DESIGN and communications agency has revealed how going back to its outdoor event roots will help the company flourish in a tough market. Leeds based Logistik started life providing event management solutions and creative services for outdoor events such as festivals and roadshows for clients including Gatecrasher and Radio One. More recently the company’s focus shifted towards the corporate and indoor market – working on events including the Pride of Britain and MOBO award ceremonies – but the current climate and success in corporate events has led to the rediscovering of Logistik’s outdoor roots. Senior client manager Bobby Sagoo explained: “We started in greenfield and festival events and anything to do with the outdoor
market but we moved offices in 2000 and the whole market changed. We actively started employing more people and looking at the corporate market. From there to now, we moved more and more into the corporate market. “We now feel that market is working for us so we have gone back to our roots. “We worked on Lovebox in 2007 and the Pakistan Festival in Trafalgar Square and the demand we have had from clients shows they haven’t forgotten us.” One of the company’s most successful outdoor events is the Leeds Universities’ Summer Ball which sees students from the city’s universities coming together for a celebration which includes music arenas, fairground rides and food and drink stalls. Bobby added: “The ball is now in its 13th year and has been developed from an event with 3,000
people to 10,000 last year. We have changed the focus of the event as it has changed from just a graduation ball to a summer ball. The graduates get the early bird tickets but to make it more successful the other tickets are released to students in other years from Leeds’ universities.” The company’s plans for 2009 include building on its successes in both the outdoor and corporate markets and according to senior account manager Claudia Bordogna, working on a wide range of events gives them an advantage over the competition. She added: “In the current climate, we are in a fortunate position as we sit in the middle of the corporate and outdoor markets. “We want to drive value for clients to give them value for money and be seen as the experts and people to come to.”
Reporters: Nicola Hyde (nl@whpl.net) Christina Eccles (ce@whpl.net) Mary Ferguson (mf@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 Assistant Manager: Adam Parry Tel: 01226 734485 Mobile: 07747 446923 Email: ap@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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Diverse events can revitalise city centres By Christina Eccles
Pop trio Sugababes have become the latest addition to the Forestry Commission’s live music programme – taking place in forests up and down the country this summer. Sugababes will be performing at Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire and Thetford Forest in Suffolk and the forest tour provides valuable revenue to plough back into the woodland in a variety of environmental and social projects.
OFFERING a diverse events programme can revitalise city centres by involving residents and visitors in local culture, according to Leeds City Council’s director of city development Jean Dent. Jean revealed that one of the reasons why Leeds’ calendar of events has been so successful and popular is because it offers a broad range of activities which appeal to a cross section of the community. She said: “Leeds has a massive events programme which ranges from international to local and community based events and it is critical we have that broad spread. “We want people to come to Leeds so we have to have the right events programme happening throughout the year to make sure we are a destination for both business and leisure tourism. Having a broad offer is critical to our reputation. “We also want to make events attractive for the people who live
here. We can use them to underpin and celebrate the diversity of the city itself, for example, the Leeds Carnival celebrates the city’s heritage and links with the Caribbean community. “The night time economy is also important. “Having events such as the ice rink and Christmas lights encourages the use of the city centre in the evening and extends the hours the city is open for families.” Jean also said that the current economic climate is a good time to promote Leeds and the benefits which events can bring to the city. She added: “Now is the time to say that Leeds is open for business. We still believe in the cultural quality of life and we need a strong events programme which celebrates that. ‘We are all vying in a tight market but we recognise that the quality of life we offer is critical in attracting investment into the city to ensure Leeds is up there as a confident, strong city.”
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Event programme proves a Wight crowd puller ...
The IOW walking festival
EVENTS on the Isle of Wight play a valuable role in attracting more visitors to the island, it has been claimed. The Isle of Wight has a packed events programme which includes Cowes Week, a walking festival and two popular music festivals – the Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival – and according to the Isle of Wight Council’s assistant director of economic development, tourism and partnerships John Metcalfe, events are an effective way of drawing tourists to the area. He told The Main Event that marketing and promoting the Isle of Wight at events such as these encourages festivalgoers to either explore more of the Island during their visit or to return for a break at a later date. John said: “The Isle of Wight Festival and Bestival are important in terms of changing perceptions. People now see the island as a vibrant, lively place. “The challenge is to make sure that the 60,000 people who come to the Isle of Wight festival actively come back and enjoy the rest of the island. We have the opportunity to showcase our other activities and do that through promotion in and around the festival site to say to festivalgoers, come back to the Isle of Wight. “Events such as Cowes Week, Bestival and the Isle of Wight Festival usually sell out
John Metcalfe based on their reputation and because of going to these events, people come back for another break on the island. A lot of people will make repeat visits and use other events to come back. “Instead of one two-week holiday, some people are now having shorter breaks which tie in with events and festivals. The credit crunch offers us an opportunity but it has to be worked at.” John said the council also has plans in the pipeline to introduce new festivals to the Isle of Wight to build on the success of its existing programme. These include plans for a film festival and an event which celebrates the Isle of Wight’s strong literary heritage.
Visitors enjoy Cowes Week
Yacht Haven on year-round voyage of discovery COWES Yacht Haven is showing it is not just the home of Cowes Week by carving out a niche as a popular year round events venue. Last year, it hosted hundreds of events from black tie balls to working conferences and concerts from the likes of David Cassidy, as well as its most famous resident Cowes Week. Events centre manager Ian Gregory said: “Despite the current economic downturn, we are delighted that 2008 has been a successful and incredibly busy year for us with plenty of things going on. It just goes to show that Cowes Yacht Haven is not just home to international regattas like Cowes Week – it’s a top class venue that is bustling with activity every day.”
Events centre manager Ian Gregory with David Cassidy
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Best year yet for industry, says Joe By Mary Ferguson THE UK festival industry will enjoy the best year it has ever seen in 2009, it has been claimed. Joe Cohen, director of online ticket exchange company Seatwave, told The Main Event that the weak pound and financial concern amongst the public will lead to more fans staying in the UK to enjoy top class line-ups. He said: “I think more people will stay on British soil this year because the economy is so poor that people don’t want to spend money travelling. “And because the UK festival industry is trying to take as much risk out of their events as possible, line-ups will be the best they have ever been. My advice to organisers this year would be to make sure they have a top class bill as people will still pay money to see good acts.” Joe thinks the concept of
allowing festival goers to spread payments – which has led to success for Glastonbury this year – is a good way to boost ticket sales when people are struggling for money. “A few festivals in the states use the layaway idea too and it works really well. But I think that because Glastonbury has the highest festival ticket price in the UK, it had no choice. “The problem is that it’s the bill that sells a festival so it can be a challenge to sell tickets before the lineup has been announced.” Of all the UK festivals this year, Joe said he expects Reading to be the most successful – but remains tight-lipped about whether he knows anything about the line-up. He added: “UK festivals this year will have a combination of performers here that we have never seen before – and that’s incredibly exciting.”
Claire Eason-Bassett
Company celebrates a successful year A CORNWALL based events company is celebrating after a successful year which saw it win an award and expand the business. Event Cornwall was awarded Best Business Start Up 2008 at the Hub Awards and following the success of its events, has taken on more staff. In its first year of business, Event Cornwall developed partnerships with clients such as Totally Truro, Cornwall College and the BBC to deliver events including MusicTruro, City of Lights, BBC Blast and DiversiFEST. Director Claire EasonBassett said: “We are
delighted to be given the Hub Award for Best Business Start Up 2008 in recognition of our growth and development as a business. “We love what we do and it is thanks to everyone involved – staff, partners, suppliers, volunteers – that we can deliver such a broad programme of events. “We are looking forward to an even bigger programme in 2009, taking on more challenges, collaborating with amazing partners and making exciting, inspirational events happen.”
Summit speakers are announced FESTIVAL organisers Rob da Bank and James Barton have been revealed as speakers at the International Music Summit, which takes place in Ibiza in May. After the success of 2008’s inaugural event, IMS has established itself as an important event on the calendar for the global dance industry, artists and executives, to do business. IMS partner and BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong said: “We're delighted to get back to business with the second International Music Summit in Ibiza. Last year was a revelation, an incredible gathering of big thinkers, with deals being done on the spot, and a feeling of all wanting to take our genre to a new level.”
Event production company The Full Effect has won an award for its work on an event which was enjoyed by over 160,000 people. The company was awarded Most Outstanding Spectacle at the Special Events magazine Gala Awards ceremony for its work on the Light Fantastic event, which premiered in Milton Keynes in October 2007.
Director Mark Harrison said: “This is the ninth time we’ve won a Special Events award. All entries are anonymous and a panel of experts chooses the winners. One of the most gratifying aspects is being nominated by one’s peers. To also receive an accolade such as this is fantastic and we’re very proud to be recognised as market leaders in event production.”
First Weekender acts are unveiled THE first acts have been announced for this year’s Summer Sundae Weekender – with performers including The Streets, The Charlatans and The Zutons. Early Bird tickets for the event – taking place in August at De Montfort Hall and Gardens in Leicester – are on sale until the end of March.
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SCOTTISH SPOTLIGHT
Over the years, Scottish festival T in the Park has built up a reputation as not only one of the UK’s most popular festivals but also one of the most environmentally friendly. Christina Eccles discovered the secrets of the festival’s success and what other events can learn when it comes to protecting the planet.
Geoff tackling a tents issue ACCORDING to the festival’s promoter Geoff Ellis, moving sites in 1997 opened up a host of opportunities for the team at T in the Park to introduce environmentally friendly initiatives – long before they moved up the agenda at most festivals. Moving to a heritage site in Kinross meant it became even more important that environmental policies were high on the festival’s agenda to make sure that holding the event there did not cause damage to the area. Geoff explained: “We had to draw up an event management plan, long before it became fashionable and there was a lot we had to do to meet our licence conditions. In the early days we saw it as a bit of a burden but it has helped us to get where we are now in terms of our environmental policies.”
Geoff also said that some of his inspiration for the work being done at T in the Park came from European festivals he had visited which had policies in place to look after the environment. He took these ideas and brought them back to the UK – introducing them successfully at the festival. He added: “I saw at European festivals, people were paying deposits to get their cups back. I thought this was a great idea and something we could do in the UK. “In 2006, we decided to take T carbon neutral and we realised we needed to take the approach to reduce rather than offset. “We introduced the deposit system for beer cups and it was very successful with about 75 per cent of them recycled.” One of the biggest problems faced by the festival is the issue of
tents being left on campsites once the event is over and, according to Geoff this is something they are working hard to tackle. “We have noticed a number of tents being left on the campsite and have encouraged a tent recycling programme. “But if visitors don’t break down the tents, then it is difficult from a health and safety point of view and so you have to bring in security staff. “People are buying tents cheaply with no intention of taking them back and the charities can’t use them. The public generally think that by leaving a tent then that is their contribution to society so that is our PR challenge. ‘We are working with an environmental advisor to come up with ideas such as people turning up to tents that are already Geoff Ellis pitched for them.”
Homecoming campaign aims to bring lasting benefits
Glasgow City Chambers was transformed into a giant projection surface for Burns Illuminated – a show specially created to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet. E/T/C London supplied projection equipment and expertise for the event, which was staged by Glasgow City
Council, with artwork produced by Ross Ashton. It consisted of hundreds of images, a combination of those sourced from the Mitchell Library in Glasgow and bespoke PIGI artwork created for the show. Up to 10,000 people packed into George Square for the event, which also included entertainment and fireworks.
THE Scottish events industry will join forces this year to ensure Scotland’s Homecoming celebrations will have lasting benefits for the country, according to experts. The campaign – which allocated £3m of funding to the development of events – will see a number of new events sit alongside established major Scottish events – all with the aim of celebrating Scotland and the things the country is most famous for. The budget was allocated via an application process and according to EventScotland’s Homecoming programme and funding manager Torquil MacLeod, the response was so huge that even events who were not awarded funding have been keen to get involved by giving their events a homecoming twist. He told The Main Event that instead of competing with each other, this will be a chance for the industry in Scotland to join forces to showcase what the country has to offer in terms of events. Torquil said: “It is the first time the events industry and the tourism agency have worked so closely to promote Scotland outside Scotland “We have a strong campaign to deliver an additional audience and we have worked really closely with the industry to make sure we are not creating an environment which is competitive or will reduce audiences. “So many events see themselves as being in competition but one of the most exciting things is that the events industry as a whole has come together under one theme. The majority of major events have adapted and there is a unification of the industry.” EventScotland’s chief operating officer Paul Bush added the campaign has come at an important time economically because it will help
Paul Bush tourism by attracting large numbers of visitors to Scotland. He added: “A year ago, very few people would have envisaged how important this will be in the current climate. It picks up on lots of Scotland’s main strengths and there is something for everyone. “It is going really well and awareness of the campaign is huge. Throughout the world, people love Scotland for its rich heritage and culture and we also have a very strong marketing campaign. “It has been a joined up effort with VisitScotland and it is the first time we have had a project like this for the nation.”
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EVENTS FOR LONDON
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Events for London was established in 2007 as a point of contact for anyone wanting to stage an event in the capital. Over the last couple of years, it has been responsible for attracting and supporting major events with more planned throughout 2009. Christina Eccles met the team to find out more ...
‘Unique, world-class and one-offs’ THE organisation – a partnership made up of Visit London, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency – aims to make the capital the world’s most exciting destination for major events. Its key aims are to attract major international events while growing existing ones and developing a range of new ones. For organisers of major events in London, it hopes to become a one stop shop for help and advice. Through the Events for London steering group – which meets four times a year and has a project meeting every month – close links have also been created with organisations such as the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London to liaise with them on events strategies – ensuring that every angle of the organisation is covered at each event. According to commercial director David Hornby, there are many potential visitors in easy reach of the capital and a diverse, detailed programme of events is a good way to
encourage them to visit. He said: “There are 19m people living within 90 minutes of London and events make London compelling for visitors. We want to communicate events to a wider audience. London’s events are unique, world-class and often one-offs which you won’t see anywhere else. “If an organiser’s event wants to benefit from being in London and be able to unlock the city, our team is there to help. “This is one of the key benefits along with the intimate knowledge and relationships we have across the city to make this happen.” David also said that London’s events will cope well this year even in a difficult climate, because people will be looking at what entertainment is on their doorstep rather than spending money elsewhere. He added: “As businesses and individuals look to trim budgets and deliver value for their investors and household incomes, events closer to
home will look more attractive. “The global language of sport and entertainment if priced right is a major motivator and enthusiasm for your country, team, sport or favourite pastime will, I'm sure, find a way into people’s budgets.”
Events in the capital which David said he is looking forward to this year include a whole new season of sport which has developed in October and November – including the New England Patriots playing at Wembley and the NBA at the O2.
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Events for London’s objectives Maximise incremental economic, social and community benefits. Continually put London on the world stage and attract global media exposure – further developing London’s brand image. Inspire and increase active participation. Align with and deliver national/wider strategies – for example DCMS, UK Sport, Sport England, Arts Council – and support legacy use of new Olympic venues. Attract incremental visitors and expenditure. Showcase and increase inward investment opportunities. Ensure events are commercially sustainable. Promote environmental sustainability.
Boroughs keen to Wembley first get in on the action LONDON’S local authorities are starting to realise the benefits of hosting good quality events in their boroughs, according to David Hornby, pictured above. He said that as the capital’s events programme grows, local authorities are becoming keen to get their areas involved, particularly leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games. He told The Main Event that more councils are starting to concentrate on events and develop strategies which will help them to deliver for both the local community and visitors to London. He said: “Councils have started to realise the benefits of having strategies for events and market-
ing and we would encourage all of them to have one. The Live Site strategy for 2012 will get boroughs to think about their content and think that if they are committed to doing a live site, then that space is hungry for content.” However, David also warned that local authority events may face difficulties in the current climate because the public may become concerned with how money is being spent. He added: “If community events have good content and are predominantly free, they will be successful. The challenge is continuing to do them when the electorate is worried about things such as heating bills and hospitals.”
ONE event which Events for London was involved in was an NFL game at Wembley – something which could not be seen anywhere else in the country. The key objectives for this event were: To help position London as the global hub for the business of sport. To profile London as the destination of choice for major sports events. To generate media exposure in London’s key visitor markets. Example activities: Creating new media opportunities where London is central to the overall messaging and event experience. Hosting a high profile annual global summit attended by the world’s most influential leaders in the business of sport. Ongoing ‘greening programmes’ to minimise the environmental impact of the game. Outputs: Incremental economic and media benefit.
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LOCAL AUTHORITY SPOTLIGHT
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The North West of England was thrust into the limelight when Liverpool became European Capital of Culture in 2008. But how did neighbouring St. Helens Council utilise a packed events programme to ensure its town was not forgotten in the region’s celebrations? Christina Eccles found out.
Punching above its weight SITUATED between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester, St Helens is hoping to cash in on its position as the heart of the North West. One way this is being done is by hosting good quality events which benefit both the local community while also boosting the area’s profile, attracting more visitors. The council’s 2008 events programme was its most ambitious yet and according to the team, having this ambition and the commitment to deliver it is helping them to change perceptions of the town and encourage the public to view it as somewhere they would like to live or visit. Tourism development manager Gary Maddock explained: “There have been core events which the council has done for years but recently we have been able to build on these successful events and make new and exciting ones. We want to use events to give people a reason to visit St. Helens. “St. Helens does punch above its weight with the diversity of its events. The team has limited resources but we are very good at knowing how to maximise them. “In the context of being in the North West, Liverpool being Capital of Culture has moved culture and heritage up at a rate of knots and this has created a focus for the whole region.” Marketing services manager
Lorraine Simpson added that although St. Helens may have the same worries over budgets as other local authorities, they are finding ways to overcome the problem. She added: “Our biggest challenge is always going to be funding but for the foreseeable future I think we are ok. “We are developing the ‘saleability’ of the town. We have got such a strong events pedigree that we can sell the town centre space when we are not using it. In the longer term we hope to use this to generate our own funding to partially fund our events “Although we have a very small resource for events, we have marketing in the same section. A lot of local authorities do not have the luxury of having an in house marketing team to help with things such as advertising, sponsorship and putting brochures together. We have a different approach which has certainly helped us. “Throughout 2009, we are looking to build on what we have already achieved for the town centre. We are always on the lookout to bring in something new but we don’t want to lose anything we already have, just make things better. ‘We want to make St. Helens a place where people want to live in, work in and visit. There are a lot of people working here who are of the same mindset so we have a positive outlook for this year.”
Last year’s Christmas lights were switched on by X Factor finalists Same Difference A packed programme of events organised by the council in 2008 included: A French market The St.Helens Festival
An urban beach in the town centre. The Eclectica music festival The St.Helens comedy festival Spark In The Park Christmas lights switch on The team at St Helens Council
The fireworks display takes place in Sherdley Park
Sparkling venue ONE of the council’s most popular events spaces is Sherdley Park, which hosts some of the town’s biggest events including the St. Helens Festival and bonfire night spectacular Spark in the Park. The St. Helens Festival is a two-day event which take place in July with a focus on arts and creativity. The 2008 event was attended by over 20,000 people and although a similar event has taken place in the town for over 40 years, recently the festival has been revamped. Lorraine added: “The festival is a huge undertaking as it is on a 150-acre site. Although there has been a show on for over 40 years it was redesigned a few years ago to become more cultural and arts focused. “The fireworks display regularly attracts a crowd of up to 20,000 which for a small borough is a good number. It also draws people in from neighbouring boroughs.” “In 2008, the town centre programme was brand new and was welcomed massively. A lot of people turned up to our events and we have had all positive feedback about what we have done in the area. We have not just done major profile events, but have also worked to include the community in them.”
Communication is the key to success ST. Helens events team prides itself on its ability to communicate well with other departments to get the job done and its work has even been recognised as a model of good practice which has been rolled out to other local authorities. Lorraine said: “Our single biggest success in 2008 was the way we communicated with everyone. We have been working across so many different levels but have managed to achieve so much. Our organisational skills have been really strong and this has given us the confidence to deliver a lot.” Lorraine also explained how the council has joined forces with the emergency services to ensure everyone attending its events has a happy and safe experience. She added: “The events planning group has been going for about nine years and meets every month. The attendance never dips and it has become a one stop shop for delivering events. We have been meeting for a long time and everyone is really pleased with how it is going. The emergency serv-
ices have also taken it out to other local authorities. “I’ve found from experience the importance of working with the police from the word go. We discuss with them intricate details of the event and definitely make sure we give them input so they feel their contribution is valued. It is not in our best interest to do something which the police would not support us in.” Events in St. Helens have been allowed to flourish because of the council’s commitment to funding cultural activities and the tourism department’s success securing external funding. “The council are recognising the value of what events can bring to the borough and Gary’s team has been extremely successful in attracting external funding. We have benefited from this because we are not just working in isolation. “We were all a bit surprised we achieved so much in 2008, going from a smallish programme to our biggest relatively overnight.”
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Pocket festival launched By Christina Eccles A NEW event which combines all the elements of a traditional festival but on a smaller and cheaper scale is being launched this summer. The Pocket Festival will include everything you would expect to find at a larger event but it has been scaled down both in size and price to appeal to families and local communities. According to organiser Bob Worm, managing director of Events Collective, the festival will appeal to parents who still want the live music and festival experience but also want something which will keep the kids entertained. He said that as the credit crunch affects families, attending a Pocket Festival will allow them to have a fun day out without spending too much money. The events will include live music, food and drink and family entertainment and according to Bob, as people tighten their belts, instead of spending time in places such as pubs where they have been many times before, they are more likely to try something different which offers them great value for money. Bob – who thought up the idea with wife Carol – said: “What we are seeing is that people are less inclined to go to where they have been 20 times before. If the festival came to town it would be unique and they would be able to enjoy all they would if they went to the pub. “Some people don’t want to be in the middle of 10,000 people. The
Summit Steel has won the 2009 Total Production International (TPi) Award for Favourite Rigging Company. The awards – which recognise the industry’s innovative and ambitious technical, creative and production achievements – were presented by Phil Jupitus at London’s Grosvenor House and Summit Steel’s Jon Bray and Chris Walker collected the award. Jon said:
“Naturally we’re really excited to have won the Award. It’s voted on by the industry, and as such represents a very real and credible recognition of all the energy, professionalism and commitment right across the company. From our crews on the frontline to our project managers and everyone else involved in the co-ordination and efficient running of the company’s business.”
Positive feedback has been received for this year’s Event Show – which has been praised for the quality of enquiries and business done over the two-day exhibition at Olympia. The Access Sessions attracted capacity audiences who heard from the likes of Live Nation’s John Probyn and Roger Barrett from Star Events and the LIVEstage also showcased high quality performers including X Factor finalists Journey South. Show manager Michelle Tayton said: “We
were delighted with the way the Show was received by visitors and exhibitors alike and re-bookings for stands next year are very healthy. “Despite the current economic climate, over the two day period we were only 175 visitors down on last year, and of those that attended, we know that business has been done, so we are delighted that once again The Event Show has attracted serious buyers for our exhibitors.”
Bob with wife Carol events will be small and cheap but full of quality and are financially viable to travel to areas which may not be getting events. “I would like to establish the events this year and give people the opportunity to get involved and be surprised that it won’t cost them an arm and a leg.” Bob also said he thinks the festival will fill a gap in the market and hopes to make it an annual event. He added: “Something like this has been lacking in the industry. Too many people want to earn too much money at events. “We are prepared to launch the event and keep it in the price bracket where people can afford to come. Some people think with festivals that bigger is better but that is not always the case.” Bob is launching the events across towns in Yorkshire later this year, with plans to take it nationwide.
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One of the highlights of Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations was the presence of a giant mechanical spider moving through the streets of the city. But what were the challenges of bringing La Machine to life? Christina Eccles found out more.
Mersey me! A giant spider ... AFTER working together on a similar project in London, Helen Marriage and Alan Jacobi were well placed to assist with one of Liverpool’s flagship Capital of Culture events. There were many similarities between the London project – which involved a giant elephant parading through the streets of the capital – and the Liverpool one – a four-day event which told the story of a creature which suddenly appeared on the side of a building and revealed itself to be a giant spider which makes its way through the city before disappearing down the Mersey Tunnel. According to Helen – who is managing director of Artichoke – and Alan – managing director of Unusual, although in theory the two projects sounded quite similar, there were many differences in how they worked in Liverpool compared with how they worked in London. Alan explained: “The relationship we built up over the years with certain key organisations made the difference when we were working in London. But there is a difference between the relationships in somewhere like London which is used to
doing these kind of events and somewhere else. London is a unique city where the ceremonial events happen day to day. “Liverpool was very different. The authorities in London trusted in the project but in Liverpool there was no trust. It was successful so we managed to win them over but it was a real battle.” Helen added that the team in Liverpool also had some interesting challenges to overcome with this project – particularly the fact that there was no large city centre space suitable for the event’s finale. She added: “The issue was always going to be the finale. We knew whatever else was going on in the city there would be vast numbers of people there. “In Liverpool there isn’t a big square so what we ended up doing was resolving the show would end with the spider going down the Mersey Tunnel. “We used the intersection of the roads and dual carriageways and so had to persuade the city to lose the roundabout. We identified that if they
The giant spider
Pictures: Mark McNulty Reinaldoa Lombardi Terry Mealey
took the roundabout out it would create an events site for 40,000 people. “Part of the show is the audience getting into it and the attitude in London was how can we make it happen. In Liverpool it was a different thing. “We had to work for a very long time to gain the trust of the authorities and on the night we craned the spider on to the building there were difficulties. But if we went back there
it would be easier as we would have a language in common.” However, Helen added that among the challenges there were many highlights and there were some areas where Liverpool had the advantage. “One of the big differences between London and Liverpool was the camaraderie between everyone. In Liverpool everyone bound together. It was a huge challenge but everybody got on with it.”
Team faced huge challenge over location THE team in Liverpool also had another huge challenge to overcome after information about where the spider was going to be was made public – leaving them to deal with huge crowds congregating in several areas to catch sight of it. According to Helen, one of the crucial parts of the project was the element of secrecy and surprise which would come from people not knowing when or where it was going to appear. But after the schedule for the Saturday was revealed, this was made more difficult. Helen said: “In London, because they didn’t want to have too many people on the streets, the artists didn’t want to reveal the story so we marketed it without and embargoed all the stories for media partners. “In Liverpool it was better in lots of ways but we made a terrible mistake.
“The local papers and radio completely bought into it as the secrecy element is important. “But the difficulty we had was both the media and some of the authorities were desperate for minute by minute information. “We were encouraged to present a detailed photo schedule for journalists but we didn’t think about the implications of it being made public. “The tourist board put it on their website and we had people occupying space because they knew where it was going to be – this caused us real headaches. “The pressure to publish the information is so huge but never again would we do it. “Operationally, this made it difficult. “We made a mistake and it caused us real problems but you learn from these things.”
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Firms expected to be snowed under by claims By Chris Rackliffe RECENT heavy snowfalls over the UK during the first and second weeks of February are resulting in horse races, football league matches, performances at West End theatres, exhibitions and trade events being cancelled. As a result, contingency insurers are bracing themselves for an influx of event cancellation claims. The snow caused the postponement of midweek football fixtures, including those of clubs in lower divisions whose matches were due to be televised. In one example, Bradford City FC joint chairman Mark Lawn admitted that a game they cancelled, which was due to be televised by Sky Sports, would cost the club £50,000. In addition, a number of West End shows had to cancel performances due to the snow and resulting transport problems in Central London. The snow and icy conditions, combined with the government urging people to stay at home to avoid travelling on treacherous roads, has led to a number of events being cancelled. In such situations, if there is a justifiable reason why an event cannot go ahead, an event cancellation policy will kick in. As a result we expect contingency underwriters to start receiving a high volume of event cancellation claims. These snow storms, combined with the likelihood of flooding once the snow melts, demonstrate the problems caused by extreme weather conditions. As a consequence there has been an upsurge of interest in contingency and event cancellation insurance, and this business is now worth over £100m to the London market. The market has already been affect-
Jan Booth
Jan delighted by election Chris Rackliffe ed by a higher than average number of claims in 2007 and 2008 due to heavy rain in the summer months. High profile cancellations last summer included the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, the Ebor Festival at York and NatWest Twenty20 match at Durham, leading to more than £10m of lost revenue for the event organisers. Now with claims arising from these snow storms, it is more vital than ever that anyone interested in purchasing event cancellation insurance uses a broker and underwriter with experience of placing and writing insurance in this highly specialised area, if they are to get the best cover at an affordable price. Chris Rackliffe is a contingency underwriter at Beazley.
MANAGING director of Sunbaba, Jan Booth has been welcomed as a new council member of the National Outdoor Events Association. NOEA is the leading trade body for organisers and suppliers in the UK outdoor event industry and Jan joins them with two decades of experience in event signage and branding. Jan’s wealth of experience stems from working across the spectrum of events, with Sunbaba proving signage and branding to festivals, concerts, sporting events, exhibitions, corporate events and working with the construction sector. NOEA General Secretary John Barton said: “For many years Jan has supported the association and attended conventions and regional conferences. She is well known throughout the industry for her passion, commitment and good ideas and we are excited about her joining us to become involved
in the future development of the association.” Jan added: “I am delighted to have been elected as a council member. “Having been in business for 21 years I feel that I can represent small /medium business in the outdoor event industry. “We know that the next few years are going to be a challenge and I feel the event industry is going to have to be innovative to cope and over come them. “I hope to become a sounding board for NOEA to enable members to have a positive result from the challenges ahead. As a company, Sunbaba has been working closely with its suppliers for a number of years on new developments which will be implemented over the next two years. “These include working on sustainable and recyclable products which I hope NOEA members will benefit from.”
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The art of booking an artiste ... Artiste booking is one of the most important factors in planning an event. In the first of a series, E3 Group’s David Hill and Dan Kujawski reveal how to get it right.
Dan Kujawski
THE first thing you should bear in mind is to book early. Leaving your entertainment requirements to the last minute can cause no end of problems to an event. It is not as simple as making a call and waiting for your act to turn up, you need to have a contract drawn up for the engagement, all travel and accommodation expenses must be negotiated and any technical requirements, such as audio equipment, must be put in place before the event. This becomes especially tricky with specialty acts, such as circus performers, as their technical requirements can be quite staggering, not to mention health and safety or insurance concerns. Many people expect these things to be taken care of by the artiste but it is extremely rare for an artiste to have everything they will need from a technical point of view or for them to have extensive experience drawing up legal documents.
When booking any artiste or big name acts such as celebrities or well known bands, they will always expect a rider as part of their fee. This normally includes all the technical equipment they will expect you to provide, as well as food, drink and any other personal items they feel they need. Sometimes riders can be pages long and dealing with them can be a logistical nightmare so it is important to remember you will be expected to provide everything they ask for. Their will be a clause in most contracts when hiring entertainment stipulating that the performance or appearance of the artiste will be cancelled if the rider requirements are not met. If the artiste you require is under management, as all celebrities and well known bands are, then the logical thing would seem to be to approach the artist management directly for your entertainment requirements. Our advice would be to be wary
when sourcing entertainment this way. E3 Group CEO David Hill said: “Artist management companies are generally quite difficult to access and work with in this country and they can often appear 'suspicious' of corporate and consumer enquiries. “They will always serve the interest of the act in their stable, seeking high fees for small sets or appearance times.” It is hard for entertainment bookers without extensive industry knowledge to gauge the acceptability of fees for entertainment. Artist’s management will always push for the highest fee as it is in their own and their artiste’s interest to do so. Also, bear in mind that, the venue of the event, the number of guests attending, whether it is a public or private event and whether or not it will be televised or broadcast will impact heavily on the fee you will be expected to pay.
David Hill
In his latest diary entry, Dan Schofield reveals his latest projects in Qatar and how plans are shaping up for his most high profile event yet...
Pace quickens in Qatar ... I HAVE been here four months now and things are really starting to pick up speed in Qatar. We just delivered the first of three events that we’ve got planned for the next 10-week period – a period where we will deliver over $10m worth of events (more than $1m per hour of event). The event we just had was the Inauguration event of the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. For the inaugural moment we did a virtual ribbon reveal where we shot a fast paced fly through of the building ending with a red ribbon being graphically wrapped around the exterior of the entire building. We paused the shot on the screen with the ribbon wrapped around the building and invited the Queen of the country onto stage to cut the actual ribbon. As she cut the ribbon on stage, the video was cued so that the ribbon fell away from the building on the screens. The video was beautiful stuff shot by the Edge Picture Company from London which went down a treat with the 1,200 invited guests. Her Highness was so pleased with the way things went she invited the Emir to join her on stage for an impromptu appearance which quickly prompted lots of camera, lights and screen re-plotting which
the team did a great job on and captured the off-script moment perfectly. As the Emir left stage he gave the double thumbs up Paul McCartney style, I like to think it was aimed at me but in reality it was probably at the world bagpiping champion who we’d brought in for the event and who was stood next to me. (Did you know Carnegie Mellon was the first University in the world to offer a masters in Bagpiping?) So it’s onto the next one, the opening of the Science and Technology Park. This event is literally going to hit the front page of every broadsheet newspaper across the world. The calibre of VIPs we have attending and the announcements that are being made mean the impact of
it will resonate around the world. The fact we are bringing in a 25m x 12m High Definition screen courtesy of Creative Technologies will help that resonation that little bit more ... This event is shaping up to be absolutely fantastic, certainly the highest profile event I’ve worked on and I hate using clichéd phrases
such as ‘world class’ but the team that have been brought together to deliver the event literally are world class. Next month it will be out of the way and I’ll let you know how it goes, providing all goes to plan of course … In‘Shallah as they say here.
The Inauguration event of the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar
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LIVE NATION SPOTLIGHT
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As the biggest player in the UK festival market, Live Nation is gearing up for another busy season. Christina Eccles spoke to two of the company’s key figures to find out how 2009’s events are shaping up and what issues are currently facing the industry ...
‘People still want to be entertained’ Hannah Farnham began working for the company on placement as a university student. Now almost a decade later, she has worked her way up through the ranks to become festivals manager and John Probyn’s right hand woman ... FOR her role as festivals manager, Hannah is responsible for Download and Live Nation’s events in Hyde Park, as well as major one-off events the company is involved in. She predicts that some events may struggle this year as festivalgoers are forced to tighten their belts and possibly cut back on the number of things which they attend. The priority for Live Nation is to make sure that the fans attending its events are having a good time and feel as though they are getting value for money while at the same time steering the business through a difficult economic period. She said: “Competition from other festivals is always a worry. Fans may have the money for just one or two events per year and people haven’t got so much disposable income. “We need to learn to manage everyone’s expectations but until we go on sale, we are not going to get a gauge of what people can afford. “Internally, I think we will be fine
but some of the smaller festivals may struggle. It will be a shame if they do because I think some of them are fantastic. It will be an interesting year for live music but even in times of financial problems, people still want to be entertained. We are not raising our ticket prices beyond inflationary rates.” Hannah also said a challenging economic climate affects the way they work with suppliers and the exchange rate with the Euro may lead to changes in this area. She added: “The Euro is a big deal for us because we use a couple of big companies in Europe so we may possibly have to look back to the UK. “For this year, we want to keep selling tickets and make sure we are giving people a great time. But we are a business, so we want to get through 2009 and hopefully come out of it with a profit. This is not a year for radical change – if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. We don’t know what the market is going to do.”
As Live Nation’s COO, music, UK, John Probyn is a familiar face in the events industry. One area where he holds particular expertise is in the festival market, so how does he feels the industry will cope in 2009...?
John looks to the future of the festival market WITH Live Nation responsible for major UK festivals including Download, Wireless and Hard Rock Calling, John is in the ideal position to talk about the future of the festival market in 2009. John – who started work in radio selling commercial airtime before being bitten by the events bug – said that since he started out, major changes have taken place in the industry and its many strengths will help it to get through potentially tough times. He explained: “The industry has grown up and got rid of a lot of the cowboys and made people aware of a lot of the challenges of organising an event. “As an industry we are good at learning, talking to each other and sharing ideas. I think that is important – there is no such thing as a new idea and we can learn from each other.” John also revealed his predictions for this year and the biggest issues currently facing the festival industry – but he claimed that the total
picture will not be available until tickets go on sale later in the year. He said the biggest issues at present are: The cost of artists which affects ticket pricing. Environmental issues and the role of the industry in driving forward green initiatives. Health and safety and continuously improving standards in this area. He added: “It’s going to be a tough year and when tickets go on sale we will get a true idea. People go to events for different reasons – because of the line up or just because they enjoy going. Promoters are realising that visitors want value for money. “In the last couple of years, there have been people who think it is easy to find a field, put a stage up and call it a festival and it is a shame because a lot of people have been caught out. This is a hard job and there is more and more red tape involved.”
Summer festival plans already well underway HANNAH is currently putting together plans for this summer’s festivals which include another site change at Download. This year, they are looking at moving the event to the old car park site after a move last year which Hannah wasn’t very keen on. She said: “We had the site on a tarmac area last year and both myself and John felt the atmosphere wasn’t there so we have looked to move to the old car park site. “With having a new layout, we are concentrating hard on being able to get that right. It is almost like restarting the festival and is quite a big undertaking.” As plans are in place for Donington to host the British Formula One Grand Prix 2010, Hannah said the festival may have to be open to some changes. She added: “We don’t want to move from Donington so we have to work with the venue and have that flexibility.” Live Nation has also been awarded the contract to continue with events in Hyde Park – securing the future of festivals such as Wireless which takes place in the venue. Hannah added: “We were very
Hannah Farnham and John Probyn proud to receive the tender for the next three years. Now we have got three years to work with the Royal Parks to move these events forward. “With events in Hyde Park, you have to have a certain number of shows for it to work financially so we are just getting the dates set. “The challenge there is that there are different organisations who are coming into a venue which we are responsible for. “Every month from January onwards we meet with the teams and the whole thing is a team effort. We are very lucky to have that space and put on a series of events which are very different. We try to mix genres and offer a broad spectrum.”
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NOEA
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Highland Council events officer honoured Annual Convention and Tribute Celebration Evening 2009 Principal event sponsors
THE National Outdoor Events Association’s prestigious Local Authority Best Practice Tribute Award, sponsored by the City of Westminster, was presented to NOEA Scotland committee member Gerry Reynolds of the Highland Council at the Association’s Annual Convention and Tribute Celebration Evening at the Oxford Belfry Hotel in Oxfordshire. Contested by local authorities across the United Kingdom, the Outstanding Practice Tribute Award was awarded to Mr Reynolds in recognition of the outstanding events that he has delivered in recent years such as the Inverness Highland Games and the Inverness Winter
Access all areas Capita Symonds Ltd City of Westminster CoverEx International 2CL Communications Ltd Festival Fireworks FTF Worldwide Event Management G4S Events Horsey Lightly Fynn Logistik Select Security & Stewarding Ltd SRD Group Ltd Sunbaba Sygma Safety Ltd The Main Event Magazine University of Derby, Buxton The White Book Wilde Ones Event Services
Festival and the tremendous support that he has given to community and professional event organisers across Scotland. NOEA General Secretary John Barton said: “Local authorities play a major role in providing guidance and encouragement to the organisers of thousands of events across the United Kingdom. “The judging panel unanimously decided to honour the Highland Council for this award because of the quality of the individual contribution made by Gerry in support of the delivery of the numerous outstanding events that have taken place in the Scottish Highlands in recent years. “The outstanding reputation of the
Highland Council’s events team nationally is all the more remarkable when one considers that with one full time employee it is the smallest local authority team delivering events in the UK today. “As a member of the NOEA Scotland committee and in recognition of his work as the association’s representative at the Annual Conference of the International Festival and Events Association Europe in Reykjavik 2008, which he found truly inspirational and so worthwhile attending, the work undertaken by Gerry Reynolds has ensured that the Highland Council are worthy winners of this year’s Local Authority Best Practice Tribute Award.”
30th Annual Convention and Tribute Celebration Evening THE Annual NOEA Tribute Celebration Awards represent the best possible independent endorsements for the industry’s creativity and professionalism – to recognise those who have achieved the very best in practices, standards and status in the world of outdoor events in the United Kingdom.
excellence in relation to an activity/service or has made a major contribution to the professionalism of the industry. Sponsored by CoverEx International
Stanford Logistical Support Ltd (SLS)
Best Supplier of Equipment or Services Tribute Award Open to individuals, companies and local authorities who provide first class and practical equipment and services which have been used successfully and made a difference to an event. Sponsored by Access all areas/ The White Book
Arena Seating The Event Sustainability Tribute Award Open to individuals, companies and local authorities who are able to prove, in their dealings with the industry, that they have worked towards the highest standards in improving the environment and wellness at outdoor events. Sponsored by Capita Symonds Ltd
Shambala Festival 2008 Tribute of Excellence Award Gives recognition to those individuals and/or companies who have achieved the highest level of
Training in Events Tribute Award Presented to any individual or organisation who is recognised for excellence and skills for training in the Outdoor Events Industry. Sponsored by Select Security & Stewarding Ltd
AP Security (North) Ltd The Most Innovative Event Tribute Award Open to individuals, companies and local authorities who create an event which is both innovative and imaginative and is considered to be a quality product in outdoor events Sponsored by SRD Group Ltd
Future Publishing – Steve Foster Production Partnership Tribute Award Gives recognition to demonstrable excellence in teamwork between individuals and companies in the delivery of an exceptional event Sponsored by The Main Event Magazine
Prima Direct (International) Ltd
Colin Oliver, Future Sound
Best Practice Tribute Award – Local Authorities Who can be judged as to providing best practices for their staff, event organisers and audiences through their professionalism and overall knowledge of the requirements of the Industry. Sponsored by City of Westminster
Best Outdoor Corporate Event of the Year Tribute Award Recognises outstanding achievement in addressing the goals and objectives of corporate clients Sponsored by Stage One Creative Services Ltd
The Highland Council, Inverness Friendly Venue Tribute Award Where it is very evident that the venues have made every possible effort to keep their premises and visitors secure and safe and to provide the most professional facilities for events and event organisers Sponsored by Horsey Lightly Fynn
Farnborough Airshow Personality of the Year Tribute For those individuals who have made a profound impact on the events industry whether it is creativity, productivity, developing original concepts or being a leading player in the success of outdoor events Sponsored by the National Outdoor Events Association
Barclaycard Urban Free Flow – free running display area (WeHeart Productions) Best Outdoor Public Event of the Year Tribute Award Recognises excellence in the planning and delivery of events in the public domain, be they cultural, performance, ceremonial or entertainment. Sponsored by 2CL communications Ltd
HUB Festival Liverpool 2008 Best Event Organisers Tribute Award Open to individuals, companies and local authorities who provide first class facilities and visitor satisfaction Sponsored by G4S Events
The Showman’s Show
Looking back on 30 years of NOEA activity ... ALAN Goldsmith, NOEA founder member responded to the toast of Richard Limb, NOEA president saying: “It does not seem 30 years ago when myself, Jeff Brownhut and the World’s Fair magazine got together to start the NOEA for the purpose of exchanging details of good and bad acts, good and bad suppliers, venues and ideas and to try and tidy up the
industry. Of course, in those long off days things were a lot different with outdoor shows attracting large crowds, no VAT and no state regulations that we have today. “We were allowed to stage shows and acts that would be impossible to produce today. “This has resulted now in a much more bland picture, although a lot of the health and safety rules are good
National Outdoor Events Association
The way forward for the world of Outdoor Events Want to know what is going on? VISIT WEBSITE www.noea.org.uk
Contact NOEA John Barton, Tel No: 020 8669 8121 Email: secretary@noea.org.uk
and common sense. However many could question the rules in existence today. “Let us hope that inspired people will put us back on a proud road once more; perhaps this depression is just what we need to wake people up. “There is nothing like a hungry stomach to focus the mind instead of burying our heads in the sand.
“Knowing how creative and innovative the UK Events Industry is, I have every confidence that, despite the many challenges ahead, we will continue to thrive well into the next 30 years and well beyond. “I therefore have much pleasure in responding to the toast of the National Outdoor Events Association in its 30th Anniversary year and here is to the next 30 years.”
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TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT
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Ken Rankin’s work in the events industry has ranged from musician to production manager at the Cambridge Folk Festival and now to his latest role at Sygma Safety. Christina Eccles discovered the secrets of his success and why he thinks training within the industry is so important ...
Training ‘one of main issues in the industry’ KEN originally signed up to work at the Cambridge Folk Festival for five years but ended up staying for eight. During that time he implemented many changes to an already established festival. However, Ken said the key to making these changes was to make sure they were big enough to make a difference but subtle enough not to alter the festival too much from what regular visitors were used to. He explained: “As Cambridge is an established event the punters expect that the event never changes. But behind the scenes we improved things such as water quality, power and drainage and also upgraded the PA system. “I also steered Cambridge towards A Greener Festival accreditation – my thing is recycling so I was very pleased with that. “These are subtle changes but are key to a greener ethos and better customer experience.” Ken started his career as a musician and became intrigued by technology. After working at venues in Derby and Hampshire he found this opened the doorway to outdoor events. His first festival job was working on the Fareham and Gosport Folk Festival and from there he moved to Cambridge. In his latest role as Sygma’s operations manager, his main responsibilities will be to bring in new work and widen the company’s portfolio while also developing existing relationships. Something which Ken feels strongly about is training and he describes it as one of the main issues currently facing the industry. He added that although the industry still has a lot to achieve, positive steps are being taken to provide more training.
City’s hospitality team nets four new appointments THE sales and hospitality team at Manchester City Football Club has reinforced its sales team with four new appointments. Additions to the team are Jake Ogden as a hospitality sales agent. Neetika Chuni and Tom Mahon as new business sales executives and Sarah Dymond as hospitality coordinator. Emma Barlow, who has over three years’ experience working within the hospitality team at the
Ken Rankin He also said that although the training available on event management courses is important, to be most effective it should be combined with some practical experience. He added: “The industry has still got a long way to go but what I like is that some of the younger guys are keen to be educated and to learn. “Courses should be 50/50 education and practical work – people learning on the job but this learning backed up by training. At Cambridge, we were always keen to bring students on board.” Ken also revealed his future plans which include expanding the latest addition to the Sygma portfolio – Sygma Events. “My longer term view is that in five years’ time I would like to see Sygma Events achieve a string of summer musical events and I would like to be part of developing that.”
Company expands its team as part of growth plan FARNBOROUGH International Ltd has expanded its team as part of the company’s significant growth plan. Grahame Jones joins as operations director with a wealth of experience in the events and exhibitions sector, having previously been group operations director for Haymarket Media Group.
Pictured, from left: Tom Mahon, new team leader Emma Barlow, Neetika Chuni and Jake Ogden.
In his new role at FIL, he will lead and strengthen the current FIVE and Airshow operations teams. Other new members of staff recruited are Rod Dean as director of flying, Richard Mann as sponsorship and business development manager and Mark Emmerson as catering contracts manager.
club, will work alongside Jake as she is appointed new hospitality sales agent. City’s head of sales David Chell said: “Manchester City Football Club prides itself on the quality of its staff and we’re very happy to welcome four new members to our team. Each of them has already demonstrated dedication and enthusiasm to make the club’s hospitality sales division even more successful in 2009.”
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RSVP
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Temporary structure company GL events Owen Brown has trialled a new roof design which will be launched at RSVP next month. The curved roof – which made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year – will be an important design element of the Absolute range.
MD Alex Robertson said: “The new range, incorporating many innovative design features in addition to the Eclipse roof design, represents a considerable investment for us and underlines our commitment to delivering both quality and innovative solutions to our clients.”
Seminars at the show ... THERE will a total of 20 seminars at this year’s show with topics covered including: Stay Ahead: Hot events and current themes in the industry Event partnerships – choosing the right partner for your events Using your event to spread the word That’s Entertainment Thinking outside the box Olympics Update – where are the corporate hospitality opportunities?
The charity challenge Restaurants – the perfect venue Fulfilling your personal and business potential in 2009 The ABC of event organising What effect has the current economic slowdown had on the events industry? Inspiring women in the industry The cheats’ guide to the party industry The Perfect Host – first impressions last
X Factor star exhibits at show EXHIBITING at this year’s RSVP show are Pemberton Event Production Ltd – the dynamic event production company launched by X Factor star Andy Pemberton (Journey South). We provide the highest quality event management service, from concept to completion, and prestigious live entertainment for any event, on any scale. We specialise in entertainment and have our finger right on the pulse with fantastic contacts in the business that allow us direct access to many acts from fantastic unsigned artists, to mega stars such as Kylie, making us an essential stand to visit at RSVP for any event planner. Come and see us at stand E27 in the
Journey South ideas factory and don’t miss Journey South performing each day in the new RSVP lounge. Head office: (+44)1482633325 info@pembertoneventproduction.com www.pembertoneventproduction.com
RSVP09 has over 200 exhibitors THE UK’s largest event dedicated to the corporate party and special events industry takes place on April 1 and 2 at at Islington’s Business Design Centre. RSVP09 is now in its eighth year and visitors to the show vary from senior event planners to marketing managers, office secretaries and PA’s – managing budgets of all sizes. This year’s RSVP also includes a dedicated conference programme which has doubled in size for 2009. Topics range from an Olympic update to Hot Events and Current Themes and It’s a Digital World. Speakers include Karen Hanton – the inspiration behind toptable.com – and representatives from Golden Goose PR and Beatwax. Also new to the showfloor is The RSVP Lounge – a nautical-themed area housing the entertainment stage. The Ideas Factory will also return which will provide visitors with original ideas and unique solutions for their events. The show’s marketing manager
Alicia Coughlan said: “Although it has been an extremely turbulent year for the economy and all involved in the events industry, we remain excited about RSVP09. “Despite the climate, we have over 200 exhibitors – testimony that advertising and tangible marketing is as important as ever. “This year’s conference programme is a huge visitor highlight, doubled in size from previous years and broad in subject matter – there really is something for everyone.”
Company has new fold-out stage CENTRAL Stage Hire Scotland have a new purpose built 45ft mobile foldout stage – 18ft wide and 5760 cubic feet. Can be hired out with or without generator, lighting, music, karaoke. With a one hour set up, sound room and changing room. Used for: Concerts Performers Displays Promotions Demonstrations Disco Dancing Gymkhanas Sporting events Dignitary seating Film work Corporate events Open days Galas
Highland games. It has annual structural safety and electrical certification, risk assessments and public liability insurance. We are a family business, based in Glasgow dedicated to giving value for money and will tailor a quote round your requirements. Contact Michael: fax 0141 550 0834 mob 07831303395 web page www.centralstagehirescotland.co.uk email enquiries@centralstagehirescotland
21-365 Feature
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365 - SUPPLIER DIRECTORY
Event Production Temporary Sledge Fencing Tel: 020 8743 3232 Email ian.irving@sledge.co.uk Web www.sledge.co.uk Address: The Mill House, Millers Way, London, W6 7NH
Staging The Outdoor Staging Company Ltd tel. +44(0)7866 470 293 info@outdoorstage.co.uk www.outdoorstage.co.uk 1 Langley Drive, Castle Bromwich, B35 7AD
Medical Management Venture Event Medical Management tel. 07988 388461 enquiries@ventureemm.co.uk www.ventureemm.co.uk Copperfield House, 47 Leeds Road, Gawthorpe, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 9QW
Beaver 84 Tel. 01708 861821 info@beaver84.co.uk www.beaver84.co.uk Beaver House, Crompton Close, Basildon, SS14 3AY
Audio Visual FMX Fenwick By-pass Ayrshire KA3 6AW tel. 01560 600271 ross@fmx-ltd.com www.fmx-ltd.com SRD Group Limited The Studio Shipbourne Road TONBRIDGE TN10 3DJ tel. 01732 373920 www.srdgroup.co.uk
Bars
Waste Management Morris Holdings (UK) Limited tel. 01691 680373 info@morrisholdings.co.uk www.morrisholdings.co.uk 17B Mile Oak Industrial Estate, Maesbury Road, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 8GA
Fire Safety & Response Sharpe Fire Ltd tel. 07894277254 james.sharples@sharpfire.co.uk www.sharpfire.co.uk PO Box 999, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 6WZ
Venues Fabric London tel. 020 7549 4844 celine@fabriclondon.com http://www.fabricevents.com Level 2, Greenhill House, Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6BF
Revolving Stages British Turntable Co Ltd tel. 01204 525626 info@turntable.co.uk www.turntable.co.uk Emblem Street, Bolton, BL3 5BW
Emergency Heating & Cooling Cool Services Tel. 0800 9705656 kevin@event-heating.co.uk www.coolservices.co.uk Building 26, Bay 4, The Pensnett Estate, Kingswinford, DY6 7TB
Handsie Display Unit 3 Victoria Wharf Victoria Road Dartford DA1 5AJ tel. 01322 285191 info@handsie-display.com www.handsie-display.com Peppermint Bars 19 Pensbury Street Battersea London SW8 4TL tel. 0845 226 7845 info-me@peppermintbars.co.uk www.peppermintbars.co.uk Eagle Hospitality 27 Bridge Street Carmathen SA31 3JS tel. 01267 235031 dyfrig@eaglehospitalty.co.uk www.eaglehospitality.co.uk
CCTV In Focus Communications & Vision Ltd Unit P, Part L Hadrian's Enterprise Park, Haltwhistle Northumberland NE49 0EX tel. 01434 322162 info@ifcv.co.uk www.ifcv.co.uk Etherlive Brinkworth House Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 5DF tel. 01666 511862 tom.mcinerney@etherlive.co.uk www.etherlive.co.uk Spindlewood CCTV The Resource Centre Featherstone WF7 5EW tel. 0845 230 0113 charlieb@spindlewoodcctv.com www.spindlewoodcctv.com
Communications Smye-Rumsby Limited 123-125 Snargate Street Dover Kent CT17 9AP tel. 01304 248900 info@smye-rumsby.com www.smye-rumsby.com Murphy Comhire Ltd Communications house Sheffield S9 1LD tel. 0114 243 4567 mandy@murphy-com-hire.com www.murphy-com-hire.com Midland Radio Links Unit 4, 181-187 Moseley Street Birmingham B12 0RT tel. 0121 7667661 paul@midlandradiolinks.com www.midlandradiolinks.com
Crowd Management Showsec International Limited Floor 1e & 2e Phoenix Yard Upper Brown Street LEICESTER LE1 5TE tel. 0116 204 3333 simon.battersby@crowd-management.com www.crowd-management.com Touchline Event Management Ltd 7 Allison Court Metro Centre Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE11 9YS tel. 0191 496 1000 info@touchline-em.co.uk www.touchline-em.co.uk The Corps Ltd 85 Cowcross Street London EC1M 6PF tel. 08000 286303 info@the-corps.co.uk http://www.the-corps.co.uk
Entertainment The Three Waiters Ltd Level 4 116 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1HH tel. 0207 436 4484 UK@TheThreeWaiters.com www.thethreewaiters.com Bogus Brothers 74 Leeds Road Selby YO8 4JQ tel. 07831 561012 bogusbrothers@btinternet.com www.bogusbrothers.com Whatever Artist Management F24 Argo House Kilburn Park Road London NW6 5LF tel. 0207 372 4777 info@wamshow.biz www.wamshow.biz
21 Scattered Media 29 Archies Park Forfar Dundee Angus DD8 1DA tel. 01307 477894 darren@scattered-media.com www.scattered-media.com
Event Management Eastern Events Limited Diggens Farmhouse Aylsham Norwich Norfolk NR11 6UB tel. 01263 734711 info@easternevents.com www.easternevents.com Fastline Transport Solutions Marshgate Depot Friarsgate Greyfriars Road Doncaster DN1 1QV tel. 01302 303555 stephen.haynes@fastline-uk.com www.fastline-uk.com Confetti Network Limited 80-81 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 4TE tel. 0207 291 7685 customercare@confetti.co.uk www.confetti.co.uk
Insurance Services Event Insurance Services Limited Event House 20A Headlands Business Park Ringwood BH24 3PB tel. 01425 470360 sales@event-insurance.co.uk www.event-insurance.co.uk PJT Insurance Services Ltd 17 Main Street Swords County Dublin. tel + 353 1 8401254 info@pjtins.ie www.pjtins.ie Doodson Broking Group Century House Pepper Rd Hazel Grove Stockport SK7 5BW tel. 0161 419 3011 jdodds@doodsonbg.com www.doodsonbg.com Insure-events.co.uk 37 Rolle St Exmouth Devon EX8 2SN tel. 0845 1300 265 support@graham-sykes.co.uk www.insure-events.co.uk
To advertise here call 01226 734 333
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Classifieds.... EVENT PRODUCTION
EVENT HIRE
TICKETING
BARS
CATERING
WEB DESIGN
MARQUEES & TENTS
SOUND & LIGHTING
23 classi
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CLASSIFIED
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POWER SUPPLY
FAIRGROUNDS
TOILET HIRE EVENT BRANDING
FLOORING
MEDICAL
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
INSTALLATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIO HIRE
ROADWAYS & WALKWAYS
PORTABLE ROADWAY
L.E.D SCREENS
HEATING & COOLING
HOSPITALITY
RECYCLING
EVENT SPECIALISTS
24- Derby Uni
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