StandOut September Issue 2026

September 2026

A Cover Story

Event insurance: Hot topics and premium experiences page 65

JBM MUSIC

PROCUREMENT

ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS

EBL

Y NOT

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CONTENTS

12 JUMP TO IT

20 GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS

37 PEAK PERFORMANCE

29 STRETCH YOUR IMAGINATION

54 ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

12 JUMP TO IT

37 PEAK PERFORMANCE

15 PROCUREMENT: THERE’S A LOT RIDING ON IT

42 FULLY CHARGED

20 GETTING BACK TO BUSINESS

54 ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

23 IN FULL BLOOM

58 BARREL OF LAUGHS

Event production manager Colm McKay discusses new moves at Longines Global Champions Tour in London The Jockey Club’s Sachin Kotecha reveals why good procurement is about more than saving money Event Buyers Live is back with a bang. Discover how you can attend and who is going to be there Badminton Estate hosted the first RHS Badminton Flower Show.

StandOut went on a behind-the-scenes tour

29 STRETCH YOUR IMAGINATION

If you want the right temporary structure for your event, transparency is key to achieving great results. Not price

Y Not’s festival director Kevin Moore on teamwork, taking risks, event developments, and being a Libra JBM Music’s Jorge Meehan on Reggae Land, ticket sales, and launching Electric Paradise AGN Events’ Ali O’Reilly talks Rock N Roll Circus, future plans, and how she plans to use the business for positive change Will Briggs and Cass Randolph on launching Laughterama London

65 A COVER STORY

Organisers are taking pro-active steps to reduce their event insurance premiums whilst insurance providers are actively advising event professionals on hot topics

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EDITOR’S LETTER

SEPTEMBER 2026 you turn to page 15, you’ll be able to read some great insight into procurement. This I fmonth, I had the privilege of interviewing The Jockey’s Club Sachin Kotecha, head

of procurement, who explained that in this inflationary climate, it’s incredibly difficult to get anything cheaper than you did last year. But you can get a better price.

Sachin talks about The Jockey Club’s approach to tendering, which changed when the organisation’s huge temporary structures contract was up for tender. It’s an insightful look into the importance of good procurement and why it’s about more than saving money.

Good procurement can strengthen supplier relationships, drive innovation, and add value, but that all starts with honest conversations and a whole heap of transparency.

These are themes iterated in our latest Temporary Structures Guide, which you can find if you head over to the StandOut website. We spoke to many marquee and structure experts, who all agreed that successful events can be achieved if suppliers are treated like project partners and not just a contractor.

This was a point also raised in June when we spoke with TDF Grand Départ GB 2027’s operations and readiness team. Matt Hodgson, ops director, and Dean Hardman, readiness director, said early planning is critical if you want events to run smooth. Both admitted that comprehensive supplier briefings have helped shape its procurement practices. Creating a process that fits the industry; echoing Kotecha’s other view that event procurement is incredibly nuanced.

Over the last few months, I’ve enjoyed delving into the world of procurement. What’s clear is that everything starts with a conversation. Oh, and having a clear understanding of what you need to buy. So, with that in mind, if you need to source suppliers for events in 2027 and beyond, turn to page 20 and find out how you can make your search a little bit easier. Event Buyers Live returns this November and if you miss it, you will miss out.

Happy reading, Caroline

Cover image: © Boardmasters/Sandra Nagel/Khroma Collective

@StandOut Magazine

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CONTRIBUTORS

This month’s

CONTRIBUTORS:

SACHIN KOTECHA

Sachin is the group head of procurement at The Jockey Club, where he leads procurement across 15 racecourses and wider group businesses. He is responsible for transforming the procurement function and overseeing strategic sourcing and supplier management, while supporting the delivery of major events including the Cheltenham Festival, Grand National, and Epsom Derby.

Prior to joining The Jockey Club, Sachin worked at McKinsey and Company, advising multinational organisations on procurement transformation and cost optimisation across industries. He has also held procurement roles at Deliveroo, Capita, and Centrica, delivering large-scale sourcing programmes, supplier strategies, and operational improvements.

ALI O’REILLY

Ali is the CEO of AGN Events and founder of Rock N Roll Circus. Launched in 2022, Rock N Roll Circus debuted in Newcastle before moving to Sheffield’s Don Valley Bowl in 2023, with an additional site at Norwich’s Earlham Park added in 2025.

Before launching AGN Events, O’Reilly spent more than a decade in the sports industry. At Creative Artists Agency (CAA), she worked in sponsorship and brand partnerships alongside world-famous athletes at major international events, including Wimbledon, The Ashes, and The Americas Cup. In early 2020, she moved to Virgin Money as head of sponsorship, partnerships and events, before the pandemic halted live entertainment. Restrictions at the time prompted O’Reilly to help launch the Virgin Money Unity Arena in Newcastle, the world’s first socially distanced arena venue.

KEVIN MOORE

Kevin has been working within the live music event space since 2010 and is currently festival director at Y Not Festival in Derbyshire.

Prior to Y Not, Kevin has held a number of similar operations and festival director roles, most notably at From The Fields (Kendal Calling, Bluedot, Northern Lights), Vision Nine (Boardmasters, NASS, and BBC Music Introducing Live) and The Great Escape.

Not only is he an experienced live events professional but he is passionate about event and festival management and all the nuances that come with it.

IMAGINATORS EVENT BRANDING • LIVE EVENTS • FESTIVALS • ENTERTAINMENT • MUSIC 1976-2026

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06 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

t: 01992 890800

• TOURING • EXPERIENTIAL • SPORT

e: IMAGINATORS.CO.UK 20/08/2026 12:39

YOU PROVIDE THE SHOW WE PROVIDE THE COVER MUSIC & EVENT INSURANCE SPECIALISTS Event Organisers, Promoters, Suppliers, Artists, Freelancers, & more The Tysers Live team has been placing insurance in the live event and entertainment industry for over 50 years. Creating unique and innovative insurance solutions, we truly understand the nature of your risk.

Contact Tim Rudland for all your insurance needs: 07772 013305 | tim.rudland@tysers.com

www.tysers.com/tyserslive

Tysers Live is a trading name of Tysers Insurance Brokers Limited, a private limited company registered in England under 02957627.

Registered office: 70 Fenchurch Street, London, United Kingdom, EC3M 4BR. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct general insurance activities, Firm Reference Number: 305496. This can be verified on the FCA’s website. L.332.03.26.V.1.0.

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INDUSTRY UPDATES APPOINTMENTS OF THE MONTH

PIC OF THE MONTH

Sense has appointed Mary Brannan as client services director.

SES Group has promoted Jeffery Kwateng-Acheampong to event manager.

Darren Williams is now operations manager (project and events) at Traffic Management Support Solutions.

Jon Massive has a new position at SailGP – chief operating officer.

The White Cliffs of Dover were the perfect canvas for a special projection mapped project last month. To mark the historic loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the British Museum, Pixel Sharp mapped animated medieval ships and a giant “Merci” thank you message to the French Government across the famous chalk cliffs. Visible from across the Channel, the projection measured 200-metres long and required four Panasonic RK 35K projectors, which pumped out 120,000 lumens of light across the face of Shakespeare Cliff. Interestingly, light was also used to create light because half of the batteries used to power the projectors were solar powered.

LINKEDIN POST OF THE MONTH

MUTA has published a new edition of its Guide to Choosing a Hirer, providing practical advice to help anyone planning to hire a temporary structure.

Crowdguard has appointed Cameron Ainscough as general manager.

Jordan Kimbley has joined Sound of Music as client and production director.

Sherif Abdalazeem, founder, AVE Events Europe

Abi Knapton is senior event manager at Gladiator Events.

SAVVY Collective has appointed Marcus Magee as operations director and Stephen Miles as development director.

Three AV quotes for the same event so far apart they could have been for three different events.

After many years on the production side of these bids, I can tell you: the problem is almost never the vendors. The problem is the RFP. “Provide all necessary AV equipment,” tells a vendor nothing. So, they guess. One overspecs to impress, one under-specs to win on price. Neither serves you.

What works is describing outcomes, not gear. Not model numbers. Attendees in the back row, 150 feet from the stage, need to read the slides. Not microphones. Four wireless handhelds for a panel of four on a 40-foot stage.

Two more fixes that do most of the work: Share a budget range. Hiding it doesn’t get you a better price – it gets you guesses. Ask for pricing on 2-3 configurations, not 15. And don’t demand a quote in 24 hours for a multiday conference.

Comparable RFP in, comparable quotes out. That’s the whole trick.

Alexandra Wilby has joined Mind Body Spirit Festival as programming consultant.

#EventPlanning #EventProfs #EventManagement.

Ben Street is head of contemporary programming at Norfolk and Norwich Festival.

Ben Wray is operations director at E1 Series.

Sarah Spurgeon is senior operations manager at A.S.O UK. Laura James has joined Peppermint Bars and Events as head of client partnerships.

TAG Live has promoted Andy Such to the role of managing director.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The Health and Safety Executive has refreshed its guidance to reflect changes in the entertainment and leisure industry and removed outdated or duplicated info.

Two new resources have been published for anyone looking for information on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. The Home Office has published guidance on the notification requirement under section 9 of the Act. It is supplementary to the section 27 statutory guidance and sets out how to notify the SIA. Also, an FAQ section is now live on the ProtectUK website.

The Show Must Go On report and Green Events Code of Practice have been acknowledged as cornerstones for sustainable events in Turn it Up: Our Plan for Music, the Gov’s new music plan.

A second post implementation review of the CDM Regulations 2015 has found that the regs remain fit for purpose but “gaps remain”. Further guidance is needed to clarify obligations held by a client and the competency requirements of the principal designer (PD) role.

www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 09

EVENT TENDERS AND CONTRACT WINS

RIVER OF LIGHT

Image: Culture Liverpool

Time to tender

Looking for new business? Discover news of contract wins and procurement opportunities Controlled Events has signed a three-year contract with Henley Royal Regatta and will provide event control expertise to the British rowing event through to 2029.

Bowls England is looking for broadcasting and production services for the 2027 World Bowls Championship at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa. The deadline is 5pm on September 4.

Contact James Wurr – james.wurr@bowlsengland.com Cambridge City Council has appointed Things Made Public to lead, develop, coordinate, and deliver a city-wide programme celebrating murals and street art, culminating in a dedicated Street Art Festival in summer 2027.

West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) exhibits at two large real estate conferences – MIPIM and UKREiiF. The centrepiece to its presence is a large dedicated pavilion.

Therefore, it has issued a design and fit out tender to make the pavilion fit for purpose. The deadline is 12pm on September 11.

Email procurement@wmgrowth.com

View tenders

Peabody is looking to work with an experienced cultural organisation to develop and deliver the annual Thamesmead Festival around Southmere Lake for the next three consecutive years. The deadline is 5pm on August 31. Interested in this opportunity? Email john.riseborough@peabody.org.uk Culture Liverpool delivers major outdoor events for Liverpool City Council. It wishes to establish an open framework for events infrastructure. This tender is divided into lots, including power, barriers and fencing, event production, medical services, portable buildings, toilets, sound, lights, and AV, traffic management, event security, stewarding, trackway, marquees, safety, HVM, staging, big screens, catering, and pyro. The enquiry deadline is 12pm on September 18. The tender submission deadline is 12pm on October 9. Want to be part of this framework? Email commercialprocurement@liverpool.gov.uk DICE has been appointed the exclusive primary ticketing partner for Wildlands Festival, marking its first major Australian festival partnership and a key step in the platform’s global expansion.

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LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

Jump to it Event production manager Colm McKay discusses the intricacies and event developments of Longines Global Champions Tour, London the iconic backdrop of Royal A gainst Hospital Chelsea, the Longines Global

Champions Tour (LGCT) brought three unforgettable days of world-class show jumping to London at the start of August.

Thousands of equestrian fans travelled to the capital to watch Christian Kukuk – riding Checker 47 – claim victory in the €1 million Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of London. The German sportsman won the prestigious prize in 2025, in front of a recordbreaking crowd. So, this year, the pressure was on. Not just for Kukuk but for the event’s organising team, too.

“We had the biggest crowd ever last year,” explained Colm McKay, event production manager. “We sold almost 2,500 general admission tickets, on top of all grandstand seating and VIP tickets.”

In 2025, more than 13,000 people attended LGCT, underlining the tour’s rapid growth. At one point, McKay and his team had to prevent the crowd from stopping in front of one of the show’s grandstands. This has resulted in a number of site changes for 2026.

“The single most important thing when you’re doing these events is keeping an improvement list,” said McKay. “It’s something we live by and then after the event, we sit down with the team and there’s normally around 25 to 30 key improvements for the next year.

“It could be something very simple from flooring or access areas,” he continued. “Last year, grandstand A was a little bit too close to the arena, so we’ve moved it back an additional four metres.”

PERFECT VIEW

Star Live, GL events UK, Carbonite Traffic Solutions, Ascot Structures, Wernick Events, Autotrak, GT Trax, Just Loos, and PMY Group are just some of the suppliers contracted to provide equipment and services to the three-day event.

“This year, we’ve reverted back to using two grandstands from Star Live,” McKay explained.

“We’re using their Vista product, the same they use at BST. “We first used them in 2019 and used them in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Last year, we used a different structure but the sightlines for the public weren’t so good. So, we’ve gone back to the Vista and it’s just a slick bit of kit. It’s fast

12 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

to build, it looks clean, and it doesn’t take a lot of branding for it to look nice.”

EXCITEMENT

It’s not the only change for 2026. From a sports and stable point of view, LGCT has built a lunging ring to give the horses more exercise time and McKay has contracted Ascot Structures to build two large Orangery structures at the entrance to the event, providing customers with an “upgraded” retail village. This is on top of enhancements to public safety, the show’s kids village, and family programming and content.

As StandOut talks to McKay, the first of 55 truckloads of sand are being tipped and compacted in the show ring. More than 1,250 tonnes of sand are being brought in over three days to create the LGCT’s famous arena, which in a few days’ time will be packed with equestrian fans, who bring the event’s electric atmosphere. “Dressage is a very niche sport,” McKay commented. “The health and safety of the horses is paramount, so you have to really understand what the grooms want, what the horses want, what the riders are looking for.

There are FEI stewards and the stable managers – there’s so many different people involved. You know, people think it’s just the horse and the rider, but the background team is huge.”

McKay describes LGCT as “a bit of a travelling circus”. But on a scorching hot day at Royal Hospital Chelsea, watching GL events, Star Live, and Ascot Structures work their socks off to deliver a show in scorching hot temperatures, what is he looking forward to the most about this year’s event?

“Personally, I can’t wait to see people again, and team,” he concluded. “It’s always lovely to catch up with the same people that you know – suppliers, riders, grooms.

“In London, especially because the UK audience are so knowledgeable with the sport, you can feel the tension when the competition is close. You can feel the excitement when the British riders are doing well. I think that’s what’s so exciting here. But I think it’s just also the range of entertainment and activities that we have for people to come and enjoy.”

The Longines Global Champions Tour has signed a multi-year extension that will see the show jumping series remain at the Royal Hospital Chelsea until 2037.

LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR

Image: © Ljuba Buzzola/LGCT of London

www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 13

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06/07/2026 11:10

PROCUREMENT

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

Images: © The Jockey Club/Adam Gasson/Losberger De Boer

Procurement: There’s a lot riding on it Last year, The Jockey Club’s temporary structures contract was up for tender, so the organisation used the opportunity to change its approach to procurement. Here, Sachin Kotecha, head of procurement at The Jockey Club, reveals why good procurement is about more than saving money is often seen as a function P rocurement that keeps costs under control, but the

best procurement teams do far more than that. Done well, procurement has the power to shape strategy, drive innovation, strengthen supplier relationships, and protect long-term business value. In short, it’s one of the most influential functions in any organisation.

Few people understand that better than Sachin Kotecha, head of procurement at The Jockey Club. With previous experience as a consultant in procurement and product development at McKinsey and Company, he now leads procurement for one of Britain’s most prestigious sporting organisations, the organiser of major events, including the Cheltenham Festival, Randox Grand National, and Epsom Derby.

“Procurement needs to be sitting at the head of the table, understanding exactly what’s going on, and providing suitable approaches and guidance,” he explained.

Kotecha is clear that successful procurement isn’t just about negotiating the best deals. It’s about creating value across the business while ensuring that value isn’t lost along the way.

“You need to look at procurement through three lenses to be effective,” Kotecha continued. “One is all about how you generate value. That’s your tenders and your supplier performance management.

Then you need to look at value leakage, so that’s all about contract management, governance, and controls. And then you have the environment and everything around it to make things happen, so data, culture, your capabilities, and your technology stack.”

A LOT RIDING ON IT

In 2025, The Jockey Club tendered its temporary structures contract – which comprised more than 40,000 square metres of tents and temporary structures at Cheltenham Festival alone.

The tender was so large, it was split into phases. Phase one was eye-opening; an intense look at minute detail that enabled Kotecha and the wider Jockey Club team to create clear bills of quantities (BoQ).

“Temporary structures are the biggest spend category we have,” Kotecha said.

“This procurement exercise was interesting because we had some of our longer-term agreements coming to an end and inflationary costs on new contracts were looking at 15 to 20 per cent increases across the board.”

Kotecha stripped back the procurement process. He wished to start with a blank piece of paper. He soon realised that event procurement is nuanced.

He explained: “The more I learn about events, and the focus of the people putting them on, it’s all about risk. It’s all about making sure you have what you need versus getting the best value every time. Because at the end of the day, no one wants to switch supplier to save money, only to find that when it comes to delivery, there’s nothing. Any cost benefit you had is completely wiped out.

“Event procurement is probably a lot more sensitive than any other organisation or industry that I’ve been in before. There’s a lot more riding on it.”

The Jockey Club undertook a huge information gathering exercise and “started

from scratch”. The organisation realised that its suppliers held too much detail. It believed that some suppliers almost assumed they would win work again because they had “historically done it”. So, when The Jockey Club tried to extract data from existing suppliers, it was challenging. The scale was immense. One tent could have ten plus services inside it. From toilets to heating and cooling.

“For ease, most people give a contract to one provider but the disadvantage of that is the information then exists with the supplier,” Kotecha continued. “It was paramount that we had drawings and BoQs. Both to understand how much something truly costs, but also to support long-term change processes and derive the cost/benefit of innovation.”

GOING BACK TO SQUARE ONE

Kotecha and his team drew up lists of all structures (roughly 100) and looked at the separate services. This meant the tender was incredibly “complex” and featured more than 150 separate lines of a rate card, per structure and supplier. More than 25 suppliers were approached for proposals. It was an immense amount of work.

“You must take control of your procurement,” he said. “I think the previous approach was heavily focused on renewing contracts in line with their capacity and once the supplier base was set-up, there wasn’t any real focus on how they managed suppliers or supported our racecourses in addressing performance.”

Kotecha was brought in to turn procurement around and to transform

www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 15

PROCUREMENT operational efficiencies. “There was some frustration in service levels,” Kotecha admitted. “So, we went back to square one and asked every supplier to walk us through the size of marquees, whether it had windows or stairs; I wanted them to come back and talk to me about each service and give us a representative view of what it would cost.

“I decided that if we had a 60 per cent BoQ that’s consistent across all our suppliers, and we compare those against each other, then I could assume that the other 40 per cent that we were missing, as long as we pick the supplier who’s most competitive, was probably going to be as competitive in those areas as well.”

A LESSON FOR EVERYONE

The Jockey Club wanted better quality structures and to reduce costs. It opened its tender process in April 2025. In September 2025, contracts were awarded to Fews Marquees, Losberger De Boer, and Arena.

Now, with racing season running from October until June, The Jockey Club has delivered its first full race season with the new temporary structure contracts in place.

“I sat every night and analysed all the information,” Kotecha said, as he reflected on the project. “And the amount of

information you get is incredible. I don’t think there’s anybody else in procurement – anywhere in England – who would run that process like we ran it. Because we had 100 structures and we had 100 lines of items per structure, so we had 10,000 lines of information from each supplier. All that information needed to be evaluated to make sure proposals and bids were being put through a fair process.

“I had never worked before with any of the suppliers who tendered for the contract, so I was more than happy to take an open lens and see what’s what’.

“That hurt a lot of suppliers – large and small – because in some cases, if they didn’t put their best bid forward, and there was a substantial gap, we were open to looking at new partners and refreshing how we design and deliver an event. It was a lesson for everyone.”

IMPROVING PROCUREMENT

Kotecha joined The Jockey Club in 2024.

His focus was to improve procurement and the way the organisation operated.

From data to contract management and supplier management. The temporary structures tender was phase one of a much larger process. The key to its success was transparency, said Kotecha.

“Once we signed contracts, we created new BoQ documents with all our suppliers, and we’ve put them all into a standardised document. What that means now is

LOSBERGER DE BOER AT CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 16 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

if I look at any structure or any service, I can see exactly what’s going on, at what cost, how inflation is going to hit us, and if there’s been any suggested changes in year one.

We know exactly where we are. It also helps with upcoming investment cases to support customer experience where our teams need to have an ROI figure in mind. We can more accurately sketch out what that will be.

“Also, when it comes to this year, we can look at our documents and say, ‘Okay, actually, there are a couple of suppliers we really wanted to work with because their structures were such high quality and last year, when we ran the tender, we thought the cost difference looked tremendous. Now we have the bill of quantities in front of us, and we can see the increases that we’ve had to add on and suddenly, it doesn’t look all that bad’. We can see the ROI per structure and if we want to suggest new things, it’s easy because we can do all the cost comparisons pretty much in real time.”

OPTIMISATION

Fews Marquees, Losberger De Boer, and Arena have signed multi-year contracts, and there are options to extend as well as “provisions”. Kotecha continued: “For example, if we change a structure in any way, or if we deem that a certain structure is uncompetitive, we have the right to go and make that change and evaluate our options. It means 80/90 per cent of the contract might be static every year, and 10/20 per cent might flux. I think this incentivises suppliers to keep optimising because if you’re delivering value and great service, then you know we’re going to

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PROCUREMENT come to you first when it comes to something new that’s popped up.”

GET A BETTER PRICE

Kotecha and the wider Jockey Club team are currently implementing Coupa, a new procurement system, which is on track to go live in October. It will create more efficiencies within The Jockey Club’s procurement function, enabling Kotecha to fulfil his mandate which was to “reset” the organisation’s buying powers through greater data transparency and control of information.

“It’s important to look at costs because the landscape is changing really quickly,” Kotecha commented. “We’re looking at all the big stuff, but it’s also the small stuff that can really add up. Once you’re able to put an approach in place, to collaboratively manage strategic spend, that’s what gives you the long-term value. Otherwise, it’s unmanaged spend.”

Now that The Jockey Club has a benchmark, it has started to put a performance management process in place.

Kotecha explained: “In the last couple of months, we’ve brought all our suppliers in and discussed some lessons learnt. Including any observations that we have, where the contract’s going, where the industry trends are going, how we can improve for next year, and we do that alongside procurement, health and safety, facilities, and racecourse management. It’s brilliant because we are looking at the contract from all aspects.

“We’ve gone through a season, and I think everyone anticipated teething problems, some additional costs and changes, and there definitely have been a few. But we’ve gone into the supplier performance meetings, and we’ve heard from our racecourse leads and suppliers, and the feedback is 95 per cent positive.”

Kotecha said that the long-term aim is to keep improving the organisation’s

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procurement processes year on year, building on the firm foundations created in year one. If there are issues, they are flagged quickly.

“Procurement needs to understand exactly what’s going on so we can balance strategic objectives against value delivery,” Kotecha explained.

But what has he learned during this process? And what goals did he set?

“In year one, we didn’t put any concrete savings target on the table because I knew it was paramount that we created a foundation, a benchmark first,” he said.

“I can deliver value and quick wins by running sourcing exercises, but in three years, that would dry up and then you’d still have no data. My priority was to go back to square one, gather the data so we knew what we were looking at and then we could attack the

gaps. That’s what we have done in the last 12 months, and I think we’re halfway through our journey now.

“In year one, our addressable spend was around £100 million, we’ve already generated £2.5 million of benefit, and I think we could probably optimise to deliver another £5 to 6 million in the next couple of years but the foundation must be right to be able to do that. The problem now is in this inflationary climate it’s incredibly difficult to get anything cheaper than you did last year. But you can get a better price.

“The main thing for me is having the information to prove something from the outset, so you can prove to the business what value you’re going to bring,” Kotecha concluded. “Until you have that, you can’t really put a number on anything.”

Registrations open 1st September 2026

9th - 11th November 2026 Scan to register

EVENT BUYERS LIVE

THE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS

Getting back to business Discover how you can attend Event Buyers Live this year and who will be there to help is building for the 2026 E xcitement edition of Event Buyers Live (EBL), the

three-day hosted buyer event, and it promises to be the biggest and best one yet.

EBL returns to Carden Park, Cheshire, from November 9-11 with a packed programme of pre-arranged supplier meetings, unrivalled networking, and relatable content.

The hosted buyer event is the place to do business; an opportunity to focus on your 2027 events and beyond.

EBL’s Janine Walmsley, who has recently been promoted from delegate manager to event manager, is on board to ensure every single guest’s experience is productive, enjoyable, and valuable.

She explains: “Every year, we say to people you must come and experience EBL for yourself because it’s such a special event.

20 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

“What’s lovely about our format is that it gives you the space to breathe and time to focus on event procurement and supplier relationships. It’s an opportunity for you to really look at your supply chain, sit down with some amazing people, and think about what your next 12 months are going to look like.

“But what makes EBL stand out is that we really care about everyone in the room; we take the time to get to know everyone, organisers and suppliers, and we do as much as we possibly can to personalise the experience to make sure it’s the most productive and credible three days away from the office.”

you want to find new suppliers for your live events, then EBL26 is for you.

Walmsley continues: “EBL welcomes only 100 of the live event industry’s most influential organisers and 50 respected event suppliers for pre-arranged face-to-face meetings.”

Business sits at the heart of the event. She adds: “If you’re in charge of budgets, you like discovering different services and products, and you want to forge genuine relationships with other event professionals, then head to the website now.

“If you have any questions whatsoever, the EBL team is here to help.”

FIND NEW SUPPLIERS

EBL is supported by a team of ambassadors who have been personally selected to help you, too. So, if you never attend industry events

Registration for Event Buyers Live 2026 opens on September 1. If you are an organiser and

MEET OUR BUDDY

EVENT BUYERS LIVE because walking into a room of strangers is too much, don’t worry.

Acting as an approachable buddy and welfare point of contact, Saward Marketing and Events’ Jack Saward is an extension of the event team and steps into a newly created role for 2026. He will support delegates who need guidance or reassurance, facilitate introductions, and help attendees to gain maximum value from the event.

He says: “I have first-hand experience of EBL and understand the value that can come from the connections made at the event.

When people feel comfortable, great things can happen.

“My personal experience of the event has been so positive that I have embraced EBL wholeheartedly, introducing people I know to each other and ensuring others feel welcome and included,” adds Saward. “I’m delighted to take on my new role and help the team to continue to develop an environment where every guest feels valued, listened to, and part of the EBL community.”

HERE TO HELP

Saward joins a tranche of new ambassadors for 2026, a group of wonderful #Eventprofs who have experienced EBL before. So, they get it.

They include EURO2028’s Marlon Trotman, Method Events’ Cassandra Frey-Mills, The Great Run Company’s Nigel Gough, Southampton International Boat Show’s Jasmine Hill, GemFest’s Sam Morgan, City of Lincoln Council’s Claire McDowall, Superstruct’s Kevin Moore, Happy Place Festival’s Hester Dunkley, and the Association of Independent Festivals’ John Rostron.

Moore, Y Not’s festival director, comments: “I’ve really enjoyed my previous visits to Event Buyers Live and have always found it a very valuable use of time. The structure of the event is always well complemented by the guidance of the ambassadors who have always made me feel very welcome.

“With a few editions of Event Buyers Live now under my belt, I was very flattered when asked to be an ambassador and felt like it was only right to take on the responsibility and do my bit to help this year’s attendees navigate their way through the event.”

Frey-Mills, business operations manager at Method Events, says: “EBL is so welcoming and genuinely people-first. Networking events can often feel intimidating, which doesn’t work for anyone. My very first year, I was seated at a table with the organising team and could not have been made to feel more welcome. Having been invited back for my third/fourth year now, it felt right to give something back and help foster that same inviting atmosphere I’ve always experienced.

Plus, the room is always filled with incredible people I genuinely look forward to catching up with and hearing all about their past year!”

They are knowledgeable event professionals who are ready to welcome everyone with open arms this November.

McDowall, events, tourism and culture manager at City of Lincoln Council, explained why she is excited to be an extension of the EBL team. She says: “I wanted to be an ambassador after attending EBL for the first time last year. I didn’t know quite what to expect but had a great time and found the sessions really productive. It’s always nice to have a friendly face to be able to answer any questions and I hope I can provide that!”

Still unsure about attending EBL? Walmsley concludes: “There’s a lot of excitement for EBL26. We recently visited Carden Park to walk the spaces and talk about the guest experiences before we welcome our guests.

“Creating a great event isn’t just about finding a beautiful venue – which Carden Park absolutely is – it’s about understanding the flow, the little details, the logistics behind the scenes, and knowing when a slightly mad creative idea might just be possible.

“We got the opportunity to test a few ideas that we’re excited about. Yes, at its core, EBL is about doing business, networking, and meeting people, but it also provides a moment to breathe and think about what you want your own event to become.

“Personally, I find that refreshing, so if you’re involved in planning or delivering events, register now and I look forward to speaking with you soon.”

If you wish to attend EBL26, visit www.eventbuyerslive.com

(L TO R): JASMINE HILL (she/her), CASSANDRA FREY-MILLS (she/her), NIGEL GOUGH (he/him) AND JACK SAWARD (he/him) www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 21

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RHS BADMINTON FLOWER SHOW

RHS BADMINTON FLOWER SHOW

Images: © RHS/Neil Hepworth/ Josh Kemp-Smith/Danco

In full bloom

Badminton Estate hosted the first RHS Badminton Flower Show. Here, Verena Gielen, ops manager, takes StandOut on a behind-the-scenes tour are you looking forward to the W hat most about this show?” StandOut asks

Verena Gielen, operations manager of RHS Badminton Flower Show.

The RHS’ new show isn’t built yet, but as Gielen drives StandOut around in a buggy, the conversation has already jumped to “the end”.

“I can’t wait to see people arriving and just having a good time,” she explains. “You work on something so hard, but I know this one is going to be emotional.”

Why? Because by the time you read this article, Gielen will have hung up the keys to her buggy and moved on to a new events role in central London. It’s a new challenge and incredibly different from the one she is responsible for when StandOut visits her in sunny Gloucestershire. “I’ve been on site for a few days now and I drive here in the morning; I tend to come in really early and just walk around. You see the wildlife and I just get to enjoy the site.”

BIG FAN

A self-confessed lover of all things equestrian, Gielen is incredibly animated when she talks about the show’s prestigious location – the Badminton Estate, home of Badminton Horse Trials. She confesses to being in absolute awe of Jane Tuckwell, Badminton Horse Trials’ event director, who she calls an “absolute legend”.

“When I first met her, I had to hold myself back from asking for a selfie,” Gielen says, laughing. “I don’t think she realised how much I am a fan of her show, but what’s been great is that she – and the estate – have been super nice to work with.”

www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 23

RHS BADMINTON FLOWER SHOW WORKING IN COLLABORATION

This is the first time that RHS Badminton Flower Show will take place. In April 2024, the RHS revealed a raft of changes to its event portfolio, including the news that RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will become a biennial event, alternating with RHS Badminton Flower Show before returning to the palace in 2027.

The Gloucestershire estate is vast, and the flower show only takes up a small chunk of the trials’ footprint. However, close collaboration with all stakeholders has been key.

“With it being year one, the estate just want us to be very careful with the ground, and where we are digging,” Gielen adds. “The ground that horses are on needs to be treated very differently; there are different grasses here compared to the rest of the park. As a horse rider, I totally get it so we’re just being extra careful.”

NEW MEASURES

Currently, Gielen is on version 19.5 of her site plan, which this year includes a new waste sorting area with Grist Environmental, quiet zones, thanks to Diverse UK, and an exhibitor campsite, which is something the RHS has “not offered in a while”.

“We have created a trial,” Gielen says, proudly showing off a new waste management system. “We’re trying to not have skips everywhere. Instead, we’ve put them in one area only, so that people actually start recycling and have to take their rubbish to a designated spot.

“We worked with Grist on this trial last year, but at Hampton Court. We collected and sorted the waste during show week, but this is the first time we’ll be looking at waste during build and break.”

The new approach to waste management is just one of a handful of new developments for the RHS team that has been working on this show for more than two years.

“The site is incredible,” Gielen comments.

“It has real potential and the figures for year one are already looking good. But I think our success so far has been about having the right conversations at the right time. So, for example, our medics. Right at the beginning,

I called them and I said, ‘Do you want one or two medical tents because at Hampton Court Palace and at Chelsea, we have two.

They were very excited because they said that no one ever talks to them that early in the process but given our visitor profile, our medical cover is one of the most important.”

She adds: “Equally, when I first started at RHS, we didn’t have quiet zones on-site and then when we did introduce them, it was always a bit of a last-minute thing. This year, we’re really putting time and effort and money into them, so people can take some time out from a busy site.”

PROUD

Gielen is driving StandOut around in a buggy. It’s scorching hot so air-conditioned temporary accommodation has been in demand, and extra welfare measures are in place to ensure crew are taken care of.

“So, how are things going?” StandOut asks Gielen.

“It’s extra emotional because this is my last one,” Gielen explains. “I’m just so proud of everyone and the people in my team because I would be nothing without them. I can’t build a show like this on my own.

“For example, at Hampton Court, I can plug into mains water,” she comments. “We haven’t got that here. We’ve got pillow tanks and water tanks, and then I remembered – even though I’d ordered power – that the water guys needed power, too.

“Water has had to be tankered in, so timings have had to be right, but when you have the right team in place, you can sail through these sort of things.”

IF I HAD A POUND

Luckily for Gielen, the same traffic management team that manages RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival also manages traffic at Badminton Horse Trials. That familiarity is helping Gielen and her team prepare for the new five-day show that hopes to attract thousands of

DANCO AT RHS BADMINTON FLOWER SHOW 24 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

gardening fans. “We have so much space on-site,” Gielen continues. “There’s plenty of room for everyone to walk about, and we could accommodate a lot more people but because it’s a year one show, it needs to establish itself.”

Gielen has worked at the RHS for almost four years. It’s a short amount of time but she has embedded herself within the team and delivered three shows at Hampton Court. That said, as we drive around the vast estate, she is constantly attending to the site that is taking shape. She jumps on the radio, as she needs some kit moving.

“If I got a pound for every time nobody replies to my radio calls, I’d be a rich girl,” she says, laughing again. Everyone is busy, beavering away. But how is she feeling about her last show?

“This event has gone so smooth, and that’s because we have really good suppliers and contractors. They all know how the RHS works and there are some that I definitely wanted to work with on this event.

“They make working on new sites a lot easier, so actually, that will be one of my last jobs before I leave,” Gielen concludes. “Trying to sort out all the bills and invoices!”

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE THE ORANGERY

Elevating UK events Coopers Marquees is celebrating 25 years of in-house innovation and high standards hen Johnny Cooper launched W Coopers Marquees in the late 1990s,

he had no idea it would become the industryleading event partner that it is today.

Headquartered in Wilberfoss, York, the business has built a national reputation for delivering premium event structures and the highest quality marquees to high profile televised sporting events, corporate hospitality, large-scale exhibitions and immaculate private events - delivering impeccable service and quality at scale whilst not forgetting its regional roots.

Now, Coopers Marquees is celebrating 25 years of elevating UK events with comprehensive event infrastructure and in-house innovation, supported by honest conversation and a strong work ethic.

“We’re delighted to be marking a quartercentury of design ingenuity, major event partnerships, and continued investment,” explained Cooper.

“As Yorkshire’s premier marquee hire company, we’ve grown considerably, a far cry from the humble beginnings of our first push up traditional tent that was delivered in a borrowed cattle truck. Today, Coopers Marquees’ set up includes a large fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles that proudly deliver current, top spec, highly-engineered aluminium structures. We are continually aiming to lift standards across the UK events industry and evolving from a respected regional temporary structure provider into an industry-leading powerhouse of national temporary venue engineering.”

26 n coopersmarquees.co.uk

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

Providing a comprehensive range of event infrastructure for landmark venues, heritage locations, and elite sporting fixtures, Coopers Marquees has built long-standing, trusted relationships with major sports grounds, racecourses, and large-scale annual events where precision, tight turnaround times, and flawless visual appeal are non-negotiable.

The company has also continually invested in proprietary structural assets, including, automated water-efficient washing facilities, a PVC manufacturing department with high frequency welders, and £1 million of Layher scaffold sub structure to elevate even the most difficult of marquees. This also includes the development of a custom Orangery structure – a stunning glass house marquee, which allows the beauty of any view to come alive. As well as the Orangery, the company has developed a range of versatile shipping containers that can be customised and converted to clients’ needs. They merge industrial durability with luxury interior aesthetics and are another great temporary structure option.

“Versatility is the key,” Cooper said. “Our clients are looking for flexible spaces that they can adapt, both aesthetically and financially. We are acutely aware of the financial challenges the event industry faces, and we have the ability to offer and create packages that deliver the desired product within an allotted budget.

“We are heavily focused on expanding our product range, so we have a bespoke solution for every conceivable style and scale of event, ensuring we never compromise on

design or comfort, no matter how unique the brief is. For example, our new customisable containers are so versatile. They are great as a pop-up office space or information exhibition hub. A fast, inexpensive quality space that can be installed and ready to use in one hour.”

Cooper continued: “We excel on difficult projects, thrive in tight spaces, manage awkward jobs, surpass expectations, and defeat tight schedules. When others say it cannot be done, it can because hard work, precision, planning, and innovation make it happen.”

WE ARE FAMILY

Over the years, Coopers Marquees has grown significantly while remaining fiercely independent and family-run. Cooper believes that the secret to maintaining that balance comes down to quality control.

He continued: “We manage our entire fleet in-house – from transport and logistics to our dedicated yard teams and installation crews. Therefore, unlike many of our peers, we don’t have to rely on third parties who might not share our standards. Our staff are my extended family; many have been with us from the early years. That internal loyalty and pride directly translates to the care our clients experience on-site.”

Coopers Marquees is a financially strong company that clients and employees can believe in. They have faith they are in good hands. Ninety-five per cent of the company’s work is repeat business; respected annual events. Remaining loyal to clients and annual event dates is crucial. This can only

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

RACING HOSPITALITY

be achieved by providing the flawless recognisable service customers deserve.

Cooper Marquees’ team is knowledgeable, personable, respectful, and trustworthy; a team that recognises every part of the process is vital.

SHAPING AN INDUSTRY

Coopers Marquees has fuelled local economic growth in Yorkshire by offering long-term careers, professional development with handson structural training, and using local suppliers where possible. The business is powered by a stable, highly skilled, permanent workforce that forms its backbone, complemented by valued, hardworking seasonal crew members who return year after year, embedding a deep sense of family-run culture and shared dedication.

They are supported by Cooper, who has actively served on the executive committee of MUTA, the UK trade association for marquee hire and temporary structures. He has helped to shape, elevate, and enforce health and safety, wind-loading, and quality standards across the entire national events sector. This uncompromising commitment to safety and industry leadership – alongside full MUTA accreditation – further cements Coopers Marquees’ position in the market as a comprehensive event partner.

Cooper continued: “Managing multiple suppliers is notoriously one of the biggest headaches for event organisers. That’s why we have introduced our in-house additional services such as furniture hire, fencing, and Mobaloo, with its fleet of luxury loos.”

STYLISH INTERIOR FINISHES Cooper added. “By housing everything under one roof – from our structures and Mobaloo luxury loos and welfare units to Yorkshire Furniture and site fencing – we take the logistical weight off a client’s shoulders. They deal with one dedicated team, one point of contact, and a single, seamless standard of quality. It guarantees peace of mind, simplifies site management, reduces delivery costs, and ensures the entire infrastructure comes together without a hitch.”

LOOKING AHEAD

“Reaching 25 years is a tribute to the dedicated team in our yards, office, and installation crews who work in all weather conditions to bring our clients’ visions to life,” Cooper said. “From our earliest days to building large-scale venues across the country, our goal has remained simple: deliver absolute reliability, design excellence, and an unforgettable experience for every client.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank our loyal clients. Without them, reaching 25 years simply wouldn’t have been possible.

We look forward to continuing our work with

leading Yorkshire venues alongside some of the country’s most renowned sporting and large-scale events, while building exciting new relationships along the way.”

He concluded: “Our core isn’t going to change. Quality, reliability, and an absolute commitment to customer service will always be the foundation of everything we do. We are still a family business. I have had no greater pleasure than welcoming my eldest son into the business. Sam has the same work ethic and respect for what we do, couple this with fresh ideas and clear vision, we are set to evolve brightly into the future.

“Over the years, many of our clients have transitioned from professional partners into people we are proud to call friends.

Nurturing those existing relationships and continuing to deliver that personal touch is just as important to us as expanding our impressive client list. As we look to the future, we want to keep raising the bar, introducing fresh, innovative products while ensuring that every single customer receives the same undivided care and attention that got us here in the first place.”

For more information, call 01759 380190 or email info@coopersmarquees.co.uk

coopersmarquees.co.uk n 27

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Stretch your imagination Temporary structures are central to the look and feel of an event. Read on, as StandOut looks at new products, best practice, and why transparency – and not price – is key to achieving great results

a world where experience is valued I nmore than ever, the success of any

live event is now hinged on how well an organiser is able to meet a customer’s needs, and an audience’s expectations. Temporary infrastructure has a huge role to play in a guest’s first impression, and Ben Keast, managing director of Neptunus, couldn’t agree more.

“Top class events require top class infrastructure ensuring ticket holders have a fantastic experience,” he explains.

“Organisers demand memorable events that guests want to return to year after year.

Consequently, there is pressure on the supply chain to create more innovation, more premiumisation, and more unforgettable experiences so events stand out from the crowd with a real ‘wow’ factor.”

According to Keast, guests notice if you stand still, so it’s more important than ever for an event supplier to work with clients to develop ideas and make solutions come to life.

“It’s why Neptunus put so much emphasis on research and development to create exciting and innovative new designs while constantly looking at ways to improve existing popular ranges,” Keast continues. “A good example of this policy is our commitment to Royal Ascot where this year we introduced our circular Salacia structure for the first time in the UK to great effect, making a real impact to the race day experience.”

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Over recent years, Neptunus has sought to introduce new solutions across Royal Ascot’s Village Enclosure, located in the centre of the

www.glevents.co.uk n 29

TEMPORARY STRUCTURES

ARENA AT ROYAL ASCOT track. The introduction of the Salacia was an “exciting new addition” for 2026. Not only creating a “visually striking” centrepiece but also providing shelter from the elements.

Royal Ascot wished to introduce more innovative structures to the event’s more traditional spaces. Yet, the organisation still wished to maintain a premium feel. Arena was contracted to supply structures for the Royal and Queen Anne enclosures with 2026 marking the beginning of a new three-year partnership with the Berkshire racecourse.

Central to Arena’s delivery was the ability to create custom structures by integrating elements from both Arena’s existing stock and its subsidiary company, Showblock.

Over the course of the event, Arena delivered more than 6,000 square metres of structures, which included three custom Showblock structures, 965 square metres of scaffold structures, and 142 metres of canopy flick structures.

Notably, the project utilised Showblock’s Curves: modular units that integrate with other structures to create fluid, curved spaces. The Curves offered the sleek finish desired in the enclosures, elevating the guest experience for excited racegoers.

PROCUREMENT AND PROPOSALS

“All clients want a point of difference, the latest design and creative solution whilst maintaining efficiency and timeframes,” continues Keast.

Therefore, given the highly competitive market that the events industry is operating in, Keast says organisers will reap greater benefits by allocating time to enable a thoughtful and meticulous tender process.

Tom Basnett, managing director at Creative Structures Group, concurs. He argues that procurement decisions shouldn’t be driven solely by the budget of a single event.

Instead, choosing the best supplier should be viewed as a longer-term investment.

30 n www.glevents.co.uk

GL EVENTS UK AT RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW Particularly when client expectation is for a beautiful structure that feels unique to the event, and not an off the shelf product.

Likewise, Will Janes, business development manager at GL events UK, agrees. He believes it’s beneficial to build dialogue into your procurement process. Because procurement can be a great way to compare proposals when you know what you want. But when you are looking at shaping concepts or a delivery strategy, open conversation enables you to see who you want to work with and not simply who can give you the best price.

NEW PRODUCTS

Janes says that GL events is aware that budgets are a critical factor for organisers.

Hence, the organisation is carefully considering a new product that would offer something “new and interesting” without breaking the bank.

“This year, the focus has been on looking at how we can enhance and innovate with our structures to offer something different to clients,” Janes explains. “For example, we have delivered a new elevated viewing

terrace which integrates into our existing structures. We are also innovating around the interface between seating and the structure, re-imagining the connection between structure and seating. The objective is to remove any friction between hospitality spaces and seating areas to provide a unified and seamless guest experience. We are also innovating around windows, taking sightlines into consideration, specifically on hospitality structures. This innovation will refine the aesthetics of the structure and importantly, offer a cleaner and clearer sightline. This is currently in testing and development phase ahead of the 2027 season.”

GL events UK is not the only business to look at new products and solutions. Neptunus has worked with Tomorrowland to create Triton, a new 20-metre high structure built on a pontoon. This structure succeeds the Salacia, which has defined Tomorrowland’s’ Crystal Garden Stage for many years.

Plus, Röder UK has launched an Air Dome structures range and Creative Structures Group has introduced The Arbour, a versatile structure that lends itself to brand activations

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GET CREATIVE

Lee Dalton, sales director at Röder UK, says many organisers are trying to streamline and maintain costs. Hence, they are looking at being more creative with structure choices and layouts whilst other organisers are creating new looks to entice more new visitors in.

Again, Janes concurs: “I have been lucky to visit a number of events this year and what I have noticed is a trend towards a less cohesive approach to structure continuity.

There appears to be more structure providers and different types of structures on site. There may well be a number of reasons behind this but one could be the drive to save costs.

“Whilst the overall look of how the structures sit together on site is changing, it does tie into how organisers are searching for new experience focused products. They are now looking at many different solutions for different ticket types, access packages, and enhanced experiences. Therefore, it’s now even more important to understand what the structure needs to do, as well as how it interacts with the overall site aesthetics when it comes to supporting clients in selecting the best products to ensure value for money.

“At a site level, this has seen the need for greater collaboration with other contractors and clients as build programmes and access windows are tighter. We have also seen some well publicised ‘radical redesign’ trends with both Reading and Leeds Festival and Boomtown re-imagining their area and production spaces this year. Looking at the structures and plans for these events, it appears to be moving further towards an experience-led and immersive approach.”

Similarly, John Cochrane, sales director at Losberger De Boer, believes that there is a demand for flexible event spaces, structures that support different event formats under one roof. Plus, he says there’s a growing demand for more technically capable structures that can support heavier production loads and higher levels of finish.

Basnett concurs. He argues that there is a greater emphasis on versatile structures that can be

TRITON AT TOMORROWLAND transformed with unique finishes and elements, rather than needing to book multiple venues.

But to reiterate Janes’ earlier point.

Understanding what a structure needs to do requires transparency.

“Good procurement starts with a really clear brief,” explains Cochrane. “The more detail that can be shared upfront e.g. site constraints, access, ground conditions, power, branding, fit-out requirements, number of guests, how the space will be used etc, the better we can design a solution that works really well in practice. The relationship works best as a partnership for us when organisers bring a clear vision for their event and allow us to bring the technical experience to make that vision a reality.”

SET PARAMETERS

Losberger De Boer recently began a new partnership with Somerset House and Moving Venue to bring 15 different events to the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court; all supported by a single temporary venue designed to adapt throughout the venue’s summer programme. The project demonstrated how venues can really make use of their existing spaces to create additional commercial opportunities.

But this example also backs up Keast’s view, which is that the need to stand out in the premium hospitality space is stronger than ever.

Janes agrees, especially as GL events supplied a new terrace product to RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, elevating the show’s hospitality and dining offer.

But how can an organiser build on what they’ve already got and deliver the “wow” factor to an already captive audience?

“Talk to your incumbent suppliers,” says Janes. “They are invested in your event and may bring ideas in innovation and operation that you hadn’t thought of. Equally incumbent suppliers should make organisers know what they can offer before tender processes may take the relationship out of the equation.”

Janes argues that organisers should take the time to analyse contracts and requirements before they publish a tender because clear procurement parameters lead to better outcomes.

He continues: “Produce a procurement timeline that works for all parties. Expecting good responses within a week or two won’t necessarily be possible, especially during peak event season. Equally organisers should give clear guidance on when their decision is going to be made. We have seen several examples of suppliers being given a week to deliver a proposal and then wait for months to receive any feedback.

“Finally, build in time to see other events and talk to other organisers about what is working well in other settings, we have a great network that is willing to share to improve,” he concludes.

NEPTUNUS’ SALACIA 32 n www.glevents.co.uk

Sponsored by GL events UK

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Making first impressions count

Visions Group explains why successful events require a collaborative approach and why production should not be viewed in silos Group has had a front-row seat V isions to the evolution of event production

over the past 25 years. And if there’s one thing that’s changed dramatically, it’s the role branding plays within a live environment.

Branding once meant little more than placing a logo on a backdrop. Today, the most successful events use their environment to communicate, guide, excite, and create memorable moments for their audiences. For Visions Group, that means looking beyond the stage and asking: how can every element of production work harder?

That’s exactly the approach the company took at this year’s Festival of Education.

Alongside its in-house AV and staging provision, it delivered creative branding across the festival site – creating one joinedup production experience from the moment guests arrived.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The entrance is arguably one of the most important branding opportunities at any event. It’s the first thing guests see, the first opportunity to establish an event’s visual identity, and a chance to immediately signal to delegates and ticketholders that they are somewhere worth exploring.

This year, Visions Group was invited to develop the at the Festival of Education’s welcome archway and build on the event’s visual identity. It expanded on the creative approach introduced previously, extending the branding across the supporting structure to create a more cohesive and immersive arrival experience. The staggered branded

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cubes remained a central feature, while the addition of printed leg wraps helped transform the entrance into an eye-catching and fully integrated piece of event branding.

The result was designed to work from every angle, with each face carrying a different call to action and QR codes directing guests to specific event information. It became more than an entrance feature: it was an interactive piece of event infrastructure, designed with longevity in mind and can be reused.

TAKING THE IDEA ONTO THE STAGE

That same creative language continued throughout the event.

Stage backdrops don’t have to be predictable, so rather than treating the marquee walls as a flat canvas, Visions introduced layered rectangles, angles, and contrasting colours to create depth and movement. The shapes referenced the silhouette of the entrance, creating a visual thread between arrival and the content itself. It was a relatively simple design intervention, but one that made each stage feel considered, distinctive, and part of the same overall environment.

And that’s really the point. Great event branding shouldn’t simply tell people where they are. It should be part of the experience.

ONE TEAM. ONE PRODUCTION

For Visions Group, this is where the benefit of a cohesive, total production approach really comes into its own.

When AV, staging, branding, and the wider production are delivered by one team, they

don’t have to exist as separate pieces. The creative can flow from the entrance to the stage, from the stage into the wider event space, and from the physical environment into the audience experience.

It also makes life considerably easier for the client. Instead of coordinating multiple suppliers for different elements of production, there is one team taking ownership of the bigger picture – understanding the brief, managing the detail, and making sure everything works together.

Visions’ project teams do not believe “total production” should mean simply doing more.

It means thinking differently about what each element can achieve.

Whether that’s turning an entrance into an interactive experience, transforming a simple stage backdrop with a few clever design decisions, or finding new ways for branding to live within the event environment, it is always looking for the opportunity beyond the obvious.

Because when all the production pieces come together, the result should feel like one event – not a collection of suppliers.

For more information, call 0118 935 8121 or email info@visionsgroup.co.uk

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Y NOT FESTIVAL

Peak performance Y Not Festival’s Kevin Moore on audience experiences, taking risks, and being a Libra

Y NOT FESTIVAL

Images: © Joe Hart/Elliot Hingston/Andy Holbrook

over a year ago, Kevin Moore was J ust handed the reins to Y Not, the four-day

family-friendly festival in the Peak District. What began as a house party in 2005 has now grown into the most anticipated weekend in the Peaks, blending indie heavyweights and guitar bands, with emerging talent, and good vibes.

“How’s it feel now you’ve had a whole year in charge?” StandOut asks Moore, Y Not’s festival director. We’re sitting in crew catering, drinking tea. And it’s much needed after a big tour of the site.

“It’s been really great,” Moore says. “I started in August last year, just after Y Not had gone on sale for 2026 and we did just shy of 10,000 tickets straight off the bat. This was testament to the excellent work the team had done over the past couple of years, rebuilding the foundations of the show.”

He continues: “It’s always a big challenge pulling the line up together, but Nathan [Harrison], who oversees our programming, pulled together the lineup of the summer.

“You never know it at the time when you book it, but you get a good feeling that you might have a good one. You never know until you put it out there, but when we did, it was extremely well received. That helped to push us on to hitting our earliest ever sellout, which happened in February.”

Moore describes the early sales as great news for Y Not. They enabled the team to press on with planning. “It allowed us to know exactly what type of show to plan for, and it’s allowed us to commit to a number of new areas and ideas, and to take a few risks, which is really a privileged position to be in. You don’t often get the chance to take risks on a festival because risks can sometimes be quite expensive.”

GOOD FOUNDATIONS

The festival increased its capacity this year;

from 28,000 to 35,000. Therefore, the site grew exponentially to accommodate, with sizable upgrades to the specially built pubcome-music venue The Hog and Barrel, a new and improved Strawberry Fields family area, and expanded late-night entertainment, including Sub Culture, an underground rave space, inspired by folklore and the mythology of the Peak District. Plus, there’s a new area called the Uncommon Junction, a larger VIP area, more glamping, a larger comedy lineup, and enhanced food and drink areas.

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Y NOT FESTIVAL

SUB CULTURE “There is room to go bigger and the demand was there, but we’re going for incremental gains,” Moore adds. “We don’t want to undo the good work that’s been done over the past couple of years, getting the foundations of the show right. This year, the challenge has been that we redeliver to the standard that we delivered previously, but we’re now layering the new creative and the new venues on top of that, seeing how they resonate with our audience, and then once we’ve seen how that progresses, next year, hopefully all being well, we can push on.”

DISSATISFIERS

Last year, Moore was working at Kendal Calling but he took time out to observe Y Not before slipping into his new festival director role. So, what did he discover on that weekend, almost 12 months ago?

“I learned that Y Not has an extremely loyal fan base who really want it to succeed,” he explains. “I think they really want it to do well, and it is a real privilege to be working on a show where that is the case.

“We just want to do the best by our audience, and we don’t want to let them down.

So, it felt quite a great weight of responsibility to deliver a really solid show for them.

“What else did I learn? I learned that if you give people what they want, they thank you for it. So, at Superstruct, we talk a lot about dissatisfiers and what puts people off coming back to a show. What hampers their experience? All quite obvious stuff, like queues for toilets, queues for car parks, queues for your bar.

“Last year, we invested over £100,000 in our toilet provision, and it was probably the best bit of cash we spent; it’s a lot of money.

Now, I know not everyone’s necessarily in the position to do that, but sometimes you might

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get that extra bit of cash and think we need to put that into our lineup or the booking budget. But actually, if you put it into your audience experience and delivery budget, it could revolutionise your show and how it’s perceived by your audience.”

PROBLEM SOLVING

Moore recognises that it’s the basics and the facilities that are sometimes put to the back of the queue when budgets are being planned but it’s really important that they stay at the front.

“We don’t get everything right by any means and I know this weekend’s coming and something will happen; it always does,” he adds. “Maybe it’s the volatility of the industry that we’re in. But if you’ve got a solid foundation, it allows you to react better to those problems as they arise. You

know, if something does go wrong in the car park, just for example, I feel like we’ve got the resilience in the team to deal with that problem, if and when it arises. Sometimes you can have a few people working on a show and a problem springs up, but things are a bit shaky elsewhere, and it’s a bit whacka-mole. Whereas I feel like we’re set up to problem solve collectively and creatively and collaboratively, and I’m confident we’ll be OK.”

I’M A LIBRA

“You have an operational background, so do you think you have an appreciation for ops more than any other festival director?”

StandOut asks, drinking a second cup of Yorkshire Tea. “Does it help when you’re dealing with a problem?”

“I always say I’ve got quite a generalist background,” Moore comments. “I would

Y NOT FESTIVAL never say I’m an operations specialist by any means. I work with wonderful people who have got far more experience and skill in the world of operations. But I feel like I’ve learned from a lot of really good people over the years and absorbed some of their skill sets.

I guess I know what to look out for and what questions to ask, and I definitely think being a more of a generalist has helped me be more rounded. I also feel I can see things from an operational side, a creative side, and from the audience’s perspective, but that’s probably because I’m a Libra as well.”

Moore smiles at his balanced answer. It’s clear he believes in teamwork, he doesn’t believe that one site department takes precedence over the other. Sometimes, he says, you can work on shows, and experience has to take a backseat because creative takes over. Yet, he feels that Y Not has got the balance right. There’s no compromise.

Collectively, the team makes the “right decisions”, considering operations, safety, and the customer journey. Neither department losing sight of the fact that customers have bought a ticket and are there to have fun.

TEAMWORK

This year, GMC Events has an increased remit, overseeing site operations, tech, and creative production. Emily Muirhead is operations manager, Sam Atkins is site manager, Simon McCall is tech production manager, and Ryan Wilmott, GMC’s founder, is overseeing the team. “It’s a new team this year,” says Moore. “There’s a lot of new faces, and I think what’s been really great to see is, sometimes you can bring a new team together, and it doesn’t always necessarily gel.

Or when that team gets onto site and there’s a lot of new faces doing things for the first time, you might start to see a few cracks in delivery.

But not this year. The show is being delivered to a really high standard, and it feels like everyone’s really on their game.”

MAIN STAGE ACTION

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This is really positive news because Moore is already looking ahead to 2027 when the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

For example, he is working with Jim Frayling from Where You At – the crowd intelligence platform – to look at crowd movements, using anonymised data to see how crowds are moving across the arena.

“I’m looking to see if there are patterns,” explains Moore. “To see if people are staying in areas where we have invested more budget. Unless we look at data, how do we actually know if our improvements have worked or not?”

“By working with Jim, I’m hoping to see some fascinating insights that will help inform our spend next year and our decision making.

“So, Sub Culture, for example, is one of our new venues. We don’t know if we’re going to need to make that bigger. But what’s going to be really interesting for us to see is how big a crowd has arrived there, and how long they’ve stayed there. Where You At will inform our decision next year as to how big we go.

“Plus, there is a lot more that we can do with the tech, such as integrating it with our app and queue loading, but it’s only our first year, so we’ll see what the data says first.”

StandOut digs deeper. “Is too soon to be talking about next year and your plans for future editions of Y Not?” Moore adds: “No, we’ve been thinking about 20 years probably since January, really, because what we didn’t want is to not think about it whilst we are here on-site.

We’ve been putting lots of thought into how we make the most of 20 years and how we start to nod to the fact that next year is the 20th anniversary.

“Our content team will be busy this weekend, talking to people at the show about Y Not and what it means to them.

“We want to make sure that we keep all the bits that people love but we’re also thinking about how we evolve Y

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“Do you feel a huge responsibility, like the custodian?” StandOut enquires, as crew catering gets busier.

Moore concludes: “I do actually. I feel like it’s quite a big responsibility, and it’s something that I take really seriously; I don’t want to let people down. It’s a show that’s got a fiercely loyal fan base. It’s had its struggles. It’s had poor weather. I think its return from COVID was hard, and I think some people out there, their perception of Y Not was not of the show that I’ve come to know and love. I think it was something quite different, and I just want to scream and shout about how brilliant the show is.”

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JBM MUSIC

Fully charged JBM Music’s Jorge Meehan on the growth of Reggae Land, ticket sales, and launching Electric Paradise

ELECTRIC PARADISE

Images: ©Gemma Parker/Matt Eachus

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JBM MUSIC StandOut is driven around an N ormally, event site in a buggy. But not today.

Today, we’re sitting in a brand new BMW, which belongs to Jorge Meehan, co-founder of JBM Music. If anyone can drive their own car around an event site, during the build, Meehan can. And you can hardly miss it. It’s bright green.

“I’ve just picked this up,” he says, pressing a few buttons and dials as we drive around Milton Keynes (MK) Bowl.

“My last car was a really bright colour,” he continues, as we casually chat about ticket sales, new moves, and Electric Paradise, JBM Music’s new show for 2026.

PRESSURE

We park up outside a cabin and get out.

We’re behind the main stage where PS Events Crew’s staff are being briefed on what’s next. In less than 24 hours, Meehan and his team will open the gates to the bowl and let in 50,000 music fans to watch Burna Boy headline the first day of Reggae Land.

But we’re not here to talk Reggae Land, despite it being a mega success story for Meehan and his business partner Brian Murphy. In fact, previous editions of the festival have played a huge part in generating an estimated £25 million of economic activity for the Milton Keynes area.

“Are you feeling more pressure this year because of that?” StandOut asks Meehan, with a sell-out festival and a new show looming.

“Not really,” he says. “We’re just building upon what we’ve already built, I guess, and we know what it’s bringing in locally to the economy, and with a two-day sellout plus the addition of Burna Boy, it’s going to be much more than that now.”

INVESTMENT

Reggae Land has several new developments for 2026. Including new stages and increased production. “There’s always small things that need tweaking, but in terms of stages, we’re building on what we’ve got,” he continues.

“Now, just looking out to the main stage, we have a new main stage from Acorn with PRG and 22 Live and we’ve spent thousands of pounds on site décor and stage sets.”

Yet all of those tweaks need a line on a spreadsheet, which has a “massive” impact.

Meehan says he and the team are investing so they can achieve their long-term goals at the bowl and ensure customers have the best day possible. And whilst some of those investments are in physical equipment and infrastructure, more “operational” bodies and resources are making things easier behind the scenes, he adds. Especially with a new one-day show that will take place in eight days’ time.

“Electric Paradise is our new disco, funk, and soul festival,” Meehan explains. “Obviously, we’ve got Boogietown in Surrey – we wanted to build a bigger version of that.”

MARKET CONDITIONS

Electric Paradise has been in the planning for a couple of years, Meehan says. The team has been waiting for the optimal time to introduce it, and the right location. It has settled on MK Bowl, where it can site share infrastructure with Reggae Land.

“We’re on course to get 35,000 people,” he explains. Tickets are still being sold with flash sales and discounted tickets on offer. It’s a point StandOut questions Meehan on.

“It’s tough,” Meehan states. “When you launch a new festival, it’s really hard to engage new buyers. It’s like, ‘Well, what exactly am I buying into?’

“You’ll hear it from a lot of promoters; that the market’s tough. So, I think, in hindsight, trying to introduce a brand new festival product this year; I mean, at the moment, there’s never a great year, is there? But it’s more of a long-term investment.”

He continues: “The ticket offers are just to get a good result, get a good amount of people in year one then we’ve got a new festival product that we can take forward.”

StandOut delves further. With Boogietown less than 70 miles away, and taking place in July, did Meehan worry about the two festivals being too close together?

“A little,” he admits. “Boogietown was 1,500 down on sales this year. I don’t know why; the World Cup obviously had a knock on effect with a lot of festivals, but we have people coming to Electric Paradise who have

JORGE MEEHAN (he/him) www.olympuscrew.co.uk n 43

JBM MUSIC

previously come to Boogietown because we have cross referenced the data.

“No, it’s not that far from Milton Keynes, but we want to grow a big new festival product at the bowl for that audience so it’s just something we’re going to have to navigate.”

BANDWIDTH

JBM Music wishes to grow Electric Paradise into a 50,000-capacity show that sells out just like Reggae Land has.

“I don’t think there is another dedicated festival to that kind of sound,” Meehan continues further. “We’re already looking at lineups for next year and who we can entice to play. There are lots of discussions happening, but ultimately what we want Electric Paradise to be a big festival for that genre and a large audience.”

44 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

In 2025, JBM Music launched Barton Live, which also required some “creative marketing tactics” and discounted offers to sell tickets.

Which in the end had a good result. But despite the extra pushes and the need to drop ticket prices, the hard work and job of balancing budgets has not put Meehan or Murphy off from perservering and just getting on with stuff. “We’ve got tonnes of ideas put to one side,” says Meehan, who describes himself as a festival creator. “But we’re not taking on any new products or launching anything new at the moment.

“As a company, we’re big in some of the shows that we have, but behind the scenes, we’re a small team of 14.

“We’re at the level now where Reggae Land takes so much of our attention. It’s established, so that takes a lot of the

bandwidth. Then we now have Electric Paradise, and we’re going to have a couple of other shows that we’ve got confirmed at the bowl next year. Outside of that, we’re going to do Boogietown, Electric Heart, which is our new indie festival, and Barton Live, in Manchester.”

Meehan, and Murphy, are ambitious.

There’s a desire to establish JBM’s portfolio, but Meehan is keen to point out that they are “an independent” so there’s only so much they can do or commit to.

Meehan concludes: “We’ve had a load of other opportunities for next year, 2028 and going forwards, but it will be too much to grow that quickly. I think we’ve just got to pace it in the right way because what we’ve got in front of us at the moment is big enough.”

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SUMMER FEST

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with

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Special Thanks and appreciation to all the geeks who have made this possible: YOU'VE ALL DONE VERY WELL!

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Junction 2 the bridge ironworks

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OXFORD MAY MORNING WOOLATON PARK SERIES REGGAE RUMBLE TOUR RUN.AWAY LINCOLN CASTLE NIKE PALACE FUME SO FESTIVAL WEST END LIVE BLENHEIM PALACE SERIES COLWICK PARK SILVERSTONE WOODLANDS F1 L'OREAL AT 02 CROYDON CIRCUS TAKEOVER SAIL GP BEAT HERDER CHESSFEST EDINBURGH FRINGE FEAST ON STOWAWAY FESTIVAL SILVERSTONE WOODLANDS MOTOGP NO ART LIVERPOOL BOOMTOWN KEEL SQUARE SERIES SUNDERLAND NOTTINGHAM CASTLE WE HAVE WAYS FESTIVAL

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THE BRIDGE AND JUNCTION 2

Up the Junction Kate Barnes and Will Harold on site developments at The Bridge and ten years of Junction 2

THE FAMOUS BRIDGE STAGE

Images: © Jake Philip Davis/Khroma Collective

look, it’s a kingfisher,” says A ww, StandOut, standing beneath the M4

flyover, as a bright flash of blue and orange swoops along the River Brent.

“I’ve always heard that there was one, but I’ve never actually seen it,” says Kate Barnes, event operations manager at A Man About A Dog (AMAAD) and event manager at Junction 2.

It’s not your usual discussion when you’re stood on-site, surrounded by toilets, standpipes, and viewing platforms. But here we both are, standing underneath the M4, watching a stunningly beautiful bird call this currently dusty, industrial space home.

It’s quite the juxtaposition but that’s the beauty of the site.

SITE IMPROVEMENTS

Barnes is keen to talk about The Bridge, a new multi-promoter series from LWE comprised of six electronic music events across two weekends at Boston Manor Park, West London. She also wants to discuss ten years of Junction 2, with its iconic concrete location.

She is a huge fan of the event and the flyover, but also adores The Woods, a more intimate and immersive woodland J2 stage that is one of two big focus areas for 2026.

“This year, we have changed the site for the first time in a very long time,” explains Barnes.

“We previously had four stages. This year, we have two and we’re focusing mainly on The Bridge, which has always been the iconic stage for us. It’s the one that everyone comes to see because it’s so unique, and then we’ve

46 n www.mld.events

KATE BARNES (she/her) got The Woods, which is a lot more chilled and my favourite.”

She continues: “We’ve made The Bridge stage and the dance floor spaces a lot bigger.

We’ve widened the front of the stage, built in some platforms. We’ve got our accessible viewing platform, and a backstage platform for backstage customers, and then we’ve also got the stage dance floor, so customers who pay for backstage access cannot only access the platform that is stage left, they can also get onto the stage and dance behind the DJ.”

she’s about to start a Masters in Crowded Places and Public Safety Management. She’ll draw on her festival experiences for research.

“We’ve gone down in capacity, but we’ve got more shows this year,” Barnes continues.

“Previously, we’ve always been 15,000 capacity, and each year, it’s grown. This year, instead of doing the full 15,000, we’ve increased the show days to six, but we’ve decreased the overall capacity on each show day to around 6,000.”

CAPACITY

Since launching Junction 2 at Boston Manor Park in 2016, LWE has spent a decade developing it into a destination for underground electronic music on a global scale.

Barnes first worked on Junction 2 in 2019 as site office assistant. “Now, I’m running the show,” she exclaims. She also tells StandOut

GOING BACK TO ITS ROOTS

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THE BRIDGE AND JUNCTION 2 This year, Junction 2 returned to Boston Manor with a focused format that reflected both its roots and its future. New production measures were introduced, such as new delays and screens, enhancing the overall experience for customers. But with fewer stages this year and a smaller capacity, how has the audience reacted to the new-look event?

“It’s hard to redefine a show to people who have come for so long, but when we first announced that it was going to be a slightly different format, I think people were just a bit confused,” Barnes explains. “They didn’t understand why we had taken their favourite stage away. But it’s important to remember that not everyone feels that way; everyone will have a preference.

“This show started as just The Bridge stage so the fact that it’s gone back to its roots...

I think when people came last weekend, the comments that I saw online were really positive. People had a good time and it’s just really nice to see people coming and experiencing the changes and noticing the work that we’ve done to make it feel like a really beautiful show.”

SPICY

Barnes wants to use the knowledge she has learned working on events and put it to good use on her Masters. She is fascinated by crowd psychology and openly admits to thriving on shows that are a little bit “spicy”.

“I like to be busy, and I’m a nerd when it comes to crowd movement, crowd psychology, and public safety,” Barnes adds. “I feel like my

brain works really fast; I need something to keep me focused. I like a challenge.”

ACHIEVEMENTS

This year’s event features a raft of changes.

From improved flow to new, quieter chill out areas, but the majority of the tweaks are really “no brainers”.

Will Harold, CEO of AMAAD, concurs. “To keep going, we need to adapt,” he adds. “By focusing on two flagship stages, we can put more attention into sound, production, and the overall experience – refining what truly makes Junction 2 stand out.”

Barnes agrees, too: “I used to be the site office assistant, and I remember first coming to this show. The first afternoon that I got off, I knew I had to have a look at the show instead of just going home and resting. I looked at The Bridge stage and realised how amazing the show was. It’s been a show that I have loved doing. The team are amazing and the improvements we have made are making a huge difference.”

She continues: “In 2020 and 2021, the show didn’t happen because of COVID. In 2022, I got a job as the event assistant at U Live and AMAAD. I worked across a few different shows, but then I was allocated this one, which I was so happy about.

“Previously, I’d worked on it as site crew.

Now, it felt like I was going back to something that I really loved,” she says, reflecting.

“In 2023, it was Junction 2’s first year back since COVID, so it was a really big year. It was quite emotional when the show opened. I

remember when we got the doors open, we went down to The Bridge stage; we stood on the stage and we looked out at the crowd, and we all had a little tear up. We’d worked really hard to make it happen and it was such an achievement to finally bring the show back.

“It’s such a loved show,” Barnes concluded.

“People come back year on year, over and over again so it’s important that we keep making changes, improving the site, and delivering a world-class festival.”

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TOILETS AND WATER PTL IN ACTION

Lifting the lid An increasing number of organisers are looking to improve their toilet and water facilities on-site.

Industry experts discuss water usage, best practice, new products, and... cold showers StandOut writes, drought has been A sdeclared in half of England. It’s a

situation that is making organisers think about water usage, saving water, and temporary water options.

Danny Greene, events production manager at Coventry City Council, is one organiser currently analysing event water solutions for Coventry’s War Memorial Park, which has one usable mains water point at the edge of the site. It is possible to run the whole site on mains, with storage tanks, and a lot of pipework. However, if there was a problem with the mains supply, it would cause a huge issue. For example, if a key pipe was to leak or if there was a problem with the water quality, suddenly an entire site is compromised. The alternative would be to tanker water to the site and store the water in tanks. Arguably, this is more resilient option, but it’s not a sustainable one, says Greene.

Water Direct argues that water should be thought about more strategically. It’s a resource that needs to be managed more carefully. Because without a secure water supply, business continuity becomes a key concern. So, is it time that organisers started to ask, how quickly you could get your hands on an alternative solution?

ACCESS TO WATER

With water use under a glaring spotlight, summer heatwaves are highlighting the importance of water and safe water storage at outdoor events.

Paul Reeve, managing director at Structureflex, which manufactures water storage equipment and infrastructure, says that extreme weather has resulted in tough working

50 n www.wews.biz

JUST LOOS environments. With organisers facing the challenge of supplying clean and fresh water to thousands of visitors.

As intense heatwaves become more common, access to water and not just potable water will be crucial. Hence, organisers need solutions that can be deployed quickly and only want to work with reputable suppliers.

WEE TRIAL

Once again, MTD provided the temporary water infrastructure for British Summer Time Hyde Park, helping keep one of London’s most iconic festivals running smoothly.

This year’s project included installing nine kilometres of temporary pipework, keeping thousands of spectators hydrated with fill points and refresh stations, providing standpipes and sinks for traders, supplying water to production and hospitality kitchens, and ensuring toilets operated seamlessly with reliable water and wastewater infrastructure.

MTD worked alongside PTL, the toilet provider, which delivered an enhanced

toilet offer within the Ultimate Garden area at BST. Building on developments in 2025, PTL installed its Hullabaloos product in the VIP area, its high-end, modular luxury toilet and washroom range which uses vacuum technology. Also, PTL trialled a new vacuum product, a prototype, in the event’s production area, which Ben Cruise, managing director of PTL, implied will change the market and the products on offer.

But BST Hyde Park is not the only AEG show that PTL has worked on this summer. At All Points East (APE), for example, PTL is working with NPK Recovery and has agreed not to use any “blue chemicals” in its trailer units. Why? This is so Lucy Bell-Reeves, co-founder of the business that transforms urine into fertiliser, can recycle the wee from the facilities.

Fresh from working at Silverstone on the Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix, NPK Recovery hopes to create a “stable product” from a non-compostable toilet provider.

Naturally, AEG Presents, organiser of APE, is interested in the trial because this solution

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TOILETS AND WATER gives the promoter an opportunity to give something back to the land it is using.

NUTRIENT PIT STOP

At Silverstone, NPK Recovery transformed attendees’ urine into fertiliser for grass and trees. In a sustainability first for the major racing event, attendees were encouraged to make a “nutrient pit stop” at dedicated urinals on-site. The urinals were connected to NPK Recovery’s urine recycling system with naturally occurring nutrients recovered and processed into a safe, sustainable fertiliser.

“Innovation and sustainability are core to our operations at Silverstone,” said Sophie Ellis, ESG and impact manager at Silverstone. “We take our responsibility around waste management seriously, trying to find an ‘onward use’ for all waste that is generated at our events, so we’re excited to take an innovative approach to how we manage human waste, whilst creating a sustainable fertiliser.”

CLOSED LOOP APPROACH

Silverstone is keen to reduce chemical usage and reduce water usage where it can, so made the decision to use waterless and chemical free urinal trailers from 2026 At the F1, NPK Recovery connected its system to a urinal block provided by Fortis Hire before taking the collected urine back to Bristol for processing. In the spring, NPK Recovery will go back to Silverstone where the fertiliser will be reused to grow grass. It’s the perfect demonstration of a closed loop approach to sanitation for major events.

Normally, NPK Recovery would work with compostable toilet providers like Peequal and Compoost Toilets. However, this summer it is working with Fortis Hire and PTL, demonstrating to organisers that even if you’re not using compostable toilets on-site, there are still opportunities to recycle wet waste. Bell-Reeves said: “Working with Silverstone to process British Grand Prix attendees’ waste into fertiliser was an opportunity to do something really special; taking something we typically see as ‘waste’ and re-using it, to provide vital nutrients to crops and trees.

“Our future ambition is large-scale urine collection, engineering urine into a resource that makes fertiliser supply chains and water treatment systems more resilient.

Working with Silverstone drives us closer to this; demonstrating the potential to recycle urine, instead of tankering it away to sewage treatment.”

CHARGING A PREMIUM

According to Site Equip, traditional portaloos and toilet trailers were once the only toilet option, but expectations have evolved.

Today’s festival and event customers want comfort and cleanliness; they want the same creature comforts that they have at home.

Organisers want a system that can deliver this without creating logistical headaches whilst still helping to meet their sustainability targets. This is where vacuum technology comes in, massively reducing water use which

52 n www.wews.biz

JUST LOOS is a precious commodity during intense dry spells and periods of extreme heat.

Demand for PTL’s Hullabaloo product has meant that Cruise and his team have had to invest in more stock. It is working with the organiser of Lapland UK to create more vacuum units for the festival experience.

Plus, the supplier, which was contracted to RHS Sandringham Flower Show this year, has increased its fleet of accessible and baby change provision.

PTL is not the only events business to invest in accessible facilities. Zoo Events Group is also making more accessible facilities and standalone ensuite units to meet demand, particularly for high-end glamping sites.

This year, Zoo Events Group worked at Kendal Calling, providing showers and facilities for its paid for loo and shower service called Soap Opera, and it worked with Latitude for the first time, providing VIP facilities to the 20th anniversary edition of much-loved festival.

“Customer experience is really, really important,” explained Dan Steel, managing director at Zoo Events Group. “You are charging a premium for facilities, but as long as the experience matches the expectation, everyone’s happy.”

As StandOut writes, Steel and his team have just finished loading in 320 toilets and 320 showers into Boomtown’s Orchid camping area, which has grown in scale.

“There are a lot of stretch tents on-site,” explained Steel. “More and more, festivals want to provide cover to the shower areas, which is great when it’s raining, but in this heat, it’s also nice to have shade.

“Currently, we’re getting lots of requests for cold showers,” he continued. “All our showers are push button and the boilers are regulated to 40 degrees so the water is hot when it comes out. But you can bypass the boiler and label the showers as a cold shower.

“With the weather we’ve had, the other morning, we started with nine cold shower heads and by yesterday, it was nearly all of them, but even the cold water isn’t that cold.”

THE NEXT BOG THING

Just Loos worked with several organisers this year on a range of new projects. Including NW Live at Brighton Pride, Mari Group at Blenheim Palace Festival, and LS Events

ZOO EVENTS GROUP and Xplor Events’ Chris Ball at SailGP in Portsmouth. Each event took place on a scorching hot weekend and all three events took a huge “jump forward” in terms of toilet provision, said Richard Crawley, general manager of Just Loos.

Crawley explained: “Considering we started this year thinking that the year would be a bit of a mixed bag, at the end of the year I think we’ll look back and go, ‘Yep, it wasn’t that bad’.”

The company is now in talks surrounding a longer term contract to provide Cowdray Park Polo Club with luxury toilet facilities for its event days and wider club activities.

Crawley continued: “There’s no sexy headlines about what we’re doing. It’s not that I don’t find toilets interesting. Of course, I do.

I’ve been doing it for a very long time. I always find them interesting, but there is a little bit of a stagnation in the next jump forward.

“People are developing different versions of their products, so our focus is to develop the next look. Now, we’re miles away from understanding what that’s going to look like, but we did remodel our vacuum washroom systems this year around a more modern appearance, so that’s our next thing,” Crawley concluded. “At the end of the day, there’s always somebody willing to pay a little bit more for something higher end and unique.

So, that’s where our focus will be – to improve upon that end of the market.”

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ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS

Rock and a hard place AGN Events’ Ali O’Reilly on growing Rock N Roll Circus, future plans, and the big C

ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS

Images: © Rock N Roll Circus/Jacob Flannery

you’ve never heard of Rock N Roll Note the use of the word locations.

I fCircus, then it’s one of those events that “That sounds like more than one new site,”

does exactly what is says on the tin. It blends music with immersive circus performances.

Imagine Queens of the Stone Age and Richard Ashcroft mixed with acrobats and fire performers and you’ll get the gist.

Rock N Roll Circus debuted in Newcastle in 2022 before moving to Sheffield’s Don Valley Bowl in 2023. In 2025, the organising team added Norwich’s Earlham Park to the portfolio and now there are plans to expand the independent multi-day festival even further.

“It’s nerve-wracking going into a new site,” explains Ali O’Reilly, CEO of AGN Events and founder of Rock N Roll Circus. “We had year one in Norwich last year, and we had a really, really great start. There are not a huge number of shows like ours that are happening in that area, so it was received with open arms.”

NEW SITES

“It’s always been the ambition to launch a second site,” O’Reilly continues. “I’ve always wanted to play into the idea of the traveling circus, adding locations, and we will be adding more locations in 2027.”

54 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

StandOut comments.

O’Reilly beams a big knowing smile.

“Potentially more than one,” she adds.

There’s no denying that she is driven and firmly believes in the concept that she has created.

“We’re aiming to add two new sites next year,” she adds. “So, there’ll be four locations, which is a lot, but we know the model works and at what capacities and the site plans, so we can take it anywhere. We really want to lean more into that circus side because that’s what sets us apart from other shows. It also gives us an opportunity to pitch to artists the opportunity to play multiple shows in different locations, which is really attractive.”

CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITY

O’Reilly describes the live events market as difficult. Yet, she has still managed to grow the portfolio. “There’s a lot happening,” she explains further. “I don’t want to make it all sound like sunshine and roses, but we’ve managed to grow over time. In Sheffield, in particular, we’re part of the fabric now and

part of the calendar. People really care about our event, and I think we’ve spent a lot of time building that community.

“We still reply to every single message and comment that comes through on social media. We’ve grown, but we’ve kept that sentiment, so we have that relationship with our customers and want to maintain that.”

DEVELOPMENTS

Ticket sales are going well, says O’Reilly.

Now, as StandOut writes, with just a couple of weeks to go until Rock N Roll Circus opens its gates, momentum is with the production team. The challenge now is how the show continues to evolve because Rock N Roll Circus has a lot of repeat customers.

O’Reilly comments: “We don’t want them to come and feel like they’re having the same experience on-site year on year. So, it’s about how we elevate the circus element, the food, the drinks, and the VIP area. We’re looking at adding in an additional tier of ticketing; somewhere in between general admission and VIP to give the customer something extra, who may not want the super-premium experience but wants something more.

ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS “We haven’t done that before, but it feels like the right time to introduce that. We’ve seen it work on other people’s shows. We need to maintain that high level as we grow.”

ACHIEVING A BALANCE

O’Reilly confirms she is now booking acts for 2027. In a competitive market, the sooner these conversations take place the better.

Which is why nailing new sites and locations is top of her to-do list. Especially given her recent cancer diagnosis.

“Do you think the last year has it changed your perspective on business and pushed you to crack on?” StandOut asks.

“I think it [the cancer diagnosis] has become such a big part of my journey now,” O’Reilly answers, honestly. “Four months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to talk to you about it, but I’m in a position now that I do feel comfortable.

“Running your own business is by far the most stressful thing that I think you can put yourself through but layering that [cancer] on top, it’s been extremely challenging,” she explains. “I know that I will always put my best foot forward and work as hard as possible to achieve the best outcomes for everyone involved. But at the same time, there’s only so much you can do to do that.”

She continues: “Before, I would have put myself under intense amounts of pressure to achieve things. Now, I’m like, your health is your wealth and that is the most important thing. So, there’s got to be a point where you cut things off.

“I definitely didn’t have a work life balance at all. I’m trying to get that more calibrated, especially with my young son. He’s an absolute priority. And before all this happened, I definitely didn’t have that. I will always be very career driven, but I think I’m trying to balance it more because ultimately, I feel lucky to even be here.”

POSITIVE ENERGY

O’Reilly is reflective of the last 12 months. She’s been through a lot and is determined to carry on, grabbing opportunities with both hands.

56 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

She explains: “In the last couple of months, I’ve found myself slipping back into old me and I have to actively try not to do that. When you’re recovering from any serious illness, it doesn’t help to be under intense stress all the time. But it’s really hard to put into practice.

“Now, I have a different energy for life. What I want to do, particularly with Rock N Roll, is channel all that positivity and put energy into good things. One of the things for me, on a really small level, is we’re now working with two local cancer charities in Norwich and Sheffield [Big C Cancer Charity and Western Park Cancer Centre] that do amazing stuff with the community. They help families and I want to raise money for them.

“I could give money to Macmillan, who do amazing things, but for me again, by supporting local charities, it plays back into the ethos of the whole event. It’s community based and I want to give back.

“Obviously, this is an extremely personal one for me and no, we’re not making tens of thousands for charities but if we can hit a target of £5,000 for each of those charities that would be incredible. It would make a world of difference to them,” O’Reilly concludes. “Those are small but purposeful things but it’s utilising the business to do something positive.”

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LAUGHTERAMA

CASS RANDOLPH (she/her) AND WILL BRIGGS (he/him)

Images: © Lloyd Winters/ Matt Eachus CASS RANDOLPH (she/her) AND WILL BRIGGS (he/him)

Barrel of laughs Will Briggs and Cass Randolph on launching Laughterama London with your brother or sister W orking isn’t necessarily easy but Will Briggs

and Cass Randolph have done it for years.

Together, they are the “founding fathers” of 57, a south London-based live entertainment company, that has grown into one of the largest live comedy brands.

Since launching the Greenwich Comedy Festival in 2009, which now attracts more than 15,000 comedy fans annually to Old Royal Naval College, the pair has built a comedy empire that continues to expand its lungs and deliver some punch lines.

“Do you have to have a sense of humour to do this job?” StandOut asks Briggs and Randolph as they prepare to open the gates to a new show at Somerset House.

“A sense of what?” says Briggs, smirking.

“Cass says it’s harder to make me laugh. “I suppose you react to stuff as best you can.”

FORGET AND PUSH ON

57 organises a series of Comedy Garden festivals in London, Cambridge, Norwich, Bristol, and St Albans. Plus, it delivers Laughterama Manchester and Laughterama London, the duo’s new show for 2026.

“In order to do this job, you need to have incredibly heavy rose-tinted spectacles,” says a very honest Randolph. “You need to forget the bad times in order to go around the block and do it again. I think if it’s in your nature to become a festival promoter, you need to have the ability to forget and push on regardless.

If you were to remember the horrors and the stress; you just wouldn’t do it again.”

58 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

Clearly, the siblings have put past challenges to the back of their minds because now they are talking all things Laughterama London, a new five-night run of open-air comedy shows at Somerset House. It’s the first time that the venue has hosted a live comedy event and the launch follows the success of Laughterama Manchester, which has been going since 2022.

TEAMWORK

Each Laughterama show features five acts spanning the full breadth of contemporary comedy, from sharp stand-up and surreal storytelling to boundary-pushing performances and cult favourites. Each event follows a traditional comedy club format where you have an MC, an opening act, one or two “middle acts”, and a headliner. It’s a format that is being copied across the UK by other promoters, says Randolph.

Yet neither sibling is bothered by the moves of other promoters, thinking they can capture a piece of the comedy market. Together, they crack on and work as a team. It’s Briggs’ job to programme and promote each show and sell tickets. Whilst Randolph, who describes her brother as being “omnipresent”, oversees production and logistics.

“We realised a few years ago that if we employed people who were much better at doing my job than me, that would be a good idea,” she says. “So now we’ve got a fantastic team, small but perfectly formed, who sort of run all of the production side of things for us.

“Hannah Horan is our lead producer; she is coming up to maternity leave but she’s still

a trooper on-site,” says Randolph. “We were quite used to doing all the work ourselves, so it’s been hard to hand it over. It’s been sort of the making of us, and also the breaking of us at times but 17 years later and we’re still doing it.”

LEARNING CURVE

57 already organises Greenwich Comedy Garden. Yet, the company hasn’t organised

LAUGHTERAMA the moment, we haven’t got through year one yet, so we need to see what happens.”

LITTLE BIT MORE OOOMPH

LAUGHTERAMA MANCHESTER

BRISTOL COMEDY GARDEN anything in central London until now. “Is it a risk running two big London shows?”

StandOut asks.

“It’s been a bit of a learning curve, but yes, I think we can,” comments Briggs. “I think they should be able to operate independently of each other in a positive way. Traditionally, Greenwich Comedy Garden takes place in September. This year, we were forced into

doing it in July, for reasons that are too boring to go into, but we’ll happily reposition Greenwich back to its traditional September dates in 2027.

“Laughterama at Somerset House is great because we go in and use that same epic stage setup as Summer Series.

“We’d love to run an annual comedy festival at Somerset House,” Briggs confirms. “But at

When StandOut chats with Briggs and Randolph, Laughterama London is weeks away. 57 is using the same infrastructure that is already in place for Somerset House’s Summer Series. It makes total “sense” to use what’s there to create a 2,000-capacity show with Josh Widdicombe, Dara Ó’Briain, and Ross Noble as headliners.

“When we first started the company, we had beyond zero experience of producing live events,” Briggs adds. “We learnt on the job, which I presume most people do. There was no training course in 2009 and there was no master plan.”

Randolph explains there are multiple reasons why they gave Somerset House the green light. Firstly, it was in a great location.

Secondly, they wanted to expand the brand. Thirdly, they were presented with the opportunity to do it She comments: “The fact we still love coming and doing these festivals, whichever location we plonk them in, is testament to the vibe that we provide. That carries through the acts and into the audience experience and we know it’s working.

‘We get so much return custom. You know, if we get someone in first time, they come back again and again and again.”

StandOut enquires about ticket sales. They are described as OK and the pair admit that sales are “down a bit” on 2025 but blame this dip on the World Cup and it being a “finicky” year.

“Our established festivals are doing their usual thing,” says Randolph. “It’s a joy to behold tickets being sold. We’ve got a loyal fan base where they literally just wait for us to announce. They [customers] know they’re coming. They just need to decide which show.

But certainly, launching new shows in this sort of time requires a little bit more oomph that we’re not used to.

“Meta is not as heavyweight as it used to be with regards to reaching people in the same way that we have become used to. I know we were talking earlier about how long it takes a business to produce a profit, but three years seems like an alien thing to us. We would not entertain that; we’ve never been in that situation, and we’re not about to start.”

So, what’s on the cards for 2027 and what plans do Briggs and Randolph have for the next 12 months? “We’re already looking into just working out next year and making it a bit more manageable with regards to the condensed nature of the festivals,” Briggs concludes. “Spreading them a little bit over the year, to have time to pay attention to each one’s intricacies.

“Adding two new locations in one year has been slightly demanding for the very small team that we have, so I think it would be great to take stock and finesse where we need to finesse.

“Getting a bit of a head on that, and the next year would be nice.”

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WELFARE

QUAD MEDICAL LIMITED

Hot topics Event professionals discuss the importance of welfare and the measures being implemented for crew and customers

AUDIENCE WELFARE IS IMPORTANT Images: © Rob Potter/Marvin Meyer/Unsplash

prepared. Look after yourself, look festival,” says Spring. “Our approach is C ome after your crew, and you’ll set yourself guided by a simple principle – providing the

up for a much better weekend.”

This was the advice issued to ticketholders last weekend before they arrived on-site at Boomtown. The organising team issued a tonne of welfare advice, pointing out everything from campsite hubs and welfare points to details on where to find the medical tent and advice on how to cope with the hot weather.

Much of it was pretty standard stuff but any responsible organiser will know, sometimes you have to iterate the obvious, remind people to look out for each other, or detail support that has been around for years.

Rob Spring, festival director at Boardmasters, concurs. Prior to the festival opening its gates to more than 158,000 excited ticketholders, Boardmasters outlined details of comprehensive welfare, safeguarding, and support services.

“Many of the services we highlighted have been part of Boardmasters for years, but not everyone may be aware of the breadth of specialist support available across the

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standard of care that we would want available for ourselves, our friends, and our families.

While we cannot single-handedly solve the challenges that exist beyond the festival gates, we can ensure that the right people, expertise, and support are in place should anyone need them. No issue is too big or too small, and we will continue to prioritise and invest in creating an environment where people feel supported, respected, and confident that help is available whenever they may need it, without fear or judgement.”

WHAT IS WELFARE?

But there is one problem with the term welfare. It’s one of those ambiguous phrases within the event world that means one thing to one person and one thing to another.

For example, dedicated event medical and welfare service providers, like Quad Medical, are able to support organisers by providing professional care, mental health nurses, and mental health first aiders, even therapy dogs.

The company, which has provided medical

and welfare services to Broadwick Live, Boa Nova Festival and Eastern Electrics this summer, believes that event welfare plays a major role in ensuring visitors are supported in a comfortable environment at all times, and with careful planning, effective comms, and collaboration, events can be delivered safely and successfully.

Yet to some organisers, welfare might not mean mental health services. To them, it could comprise a quiet zone, which often falls under the remit of an access team, a crew pub, or even a space for intoxicated guests.

For professionals like Gigi Daniels, volunteer events manager at Diverse UK, which provides sensory calm spaces at events and festivals, the “What is welfare?” question is raised all the time. Daniels says that whilst some organisations are contracted to perform certain roles on-site, ticketholders can – and will – naturally gravitate towards the closest person to them or someone standing in a tent who looks helpful. That alone can trigger safeguarding concerns.

But whether people are going to an event to work, enjoy themselves, perform, or support

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WELFARE

QUAD MEDICAL LIMITED

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AND YOUR CREW somebody else to have a good time, Daniels believes quiet spaces and crew welfare measures, for example, do “the same thing” – they demonstrate to people that organisers care. Customers will appreciate safeguards that have been put in place to meet a range of needs. From someone close to having a meltdown or panic attack to a crew member who may have just experienced something distressing on-site. Regardless of the scenario, people value mechanisms that enable them to reset, recharge, or regulate themselves.

ADAPTING TO THE CONDITIONS

This summer, one of the biggest issues has been around heat and how organisers look after crew, volunteers, and customers when temperatures are intense.

“With the extreme heat we’ve experienced this summer, welfare has been a major focus across our shows, for both our crews and customers,” explains Rob Dudley, chief operating Officer at We Group. “We’ve implemented heatwave plans covering build, live and break periods, including regular shaded breaks and, where needed, on-site ‘siestas’ during the hottest parts of the day.

“We’ve made sure there is plenty of drinking water available, alongside electrolytes for crews, while our welfare teams regularly patrol sites offering free SPF and reminding everyone to stay hydrated, cover up, and take breaks in the shade. On some shows we’ve also provided disposable dust masks where conditions require them.

“Sometimes the simplest things make a difference – we’ve even had ice creams delivered around site via a buggy playing tunes to help crews cool down and keep morale up. Ultimately, it’s about adapting to the conditions and making sure everyone onsite is looked after.”

ICE, ICE BABY

Ice cream and ice lollies have certainly been a popular measure and a move adopted by Farnborough International Air Show, Happy Place Festival, and Ops People.

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“My Deliveroo history was full of ice cream deliveries,” admits Bethan Bloomfield, operations manager at Ops People, when asked what welfare measures she introduced for crews this summer. “We also sent WhatsApp reminders at the start of each day, reminding people to bring water bottles, stay hydrated, and look after each other.

“For the public, we installed extra water points in shaded areas and put an emphasis on all briefings to staff and volunteers as to what to relay to the public regarding water and chill out zones and to ideally position themselves out of the sun.”

Bloomfield also introduced additional shade cover at entry gates and dwell points, as did Hester Dunkley, ops and production manager at HD Event Services.

Dunkley – responsible for ops at Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival, continues: “Additional fire marshal training was given to on-site staff, we had ice cream and cold drink runs, and we had an extended build/break timetable where possible to allow for a slower pace of work and additional breaks.”

At American Express presents BST Hyde Park, a number of crew welfare measures were introduced, including mandatory extended breaks in the heat of the day, staff were rotated to ensure everyone could take some time out in the shade, and risk assessments and method statements were checked for adverse weather.

Suzanne Johnson, senior site manager at LS Events, says that she spoke with many contractors to ensure that they were looked after and like Dunkley, she reviewed schedules to see what could be done to manage slower working.

COMMUNICATION

John Wilson, managing director at Field and Stage, has worked on several events in the last few weeks. He says that the biggest factor in going the extra mile is always cost, particularly for small independent festivals.

However, not all welfare measures cost money. “Some people (myself included

sometimes) can’t be trusted to look after themselves when working on site, so we have built a culture where we check on staff and almost force them to have extra breaks where weather conditions require it,” he says. “This summer, we have used welfaries; a team that travel around the site checking on crew and providing them with drinks and food.”

Danny Greene, events production manager at Coventry City Council, introduced several small tweaks to his events, including early morning or evening health and safety site walks with stakeholders and SAGs, gazebos for static staffing positions, such as wristband checks, and he also tried to avoid static staffing positions on metal trackway, which amplified the sun’s heat.

Similarly, Michael Lever, head of festival engagement at Oxfam, works with thousands of volunteers on-site. Therefore, he and his team adapted shift patterns and tasks to avoid the hottest part of the day, ensured rehydration tablets and salty snacks were made readily available, and encouraged volunteers to use wet bandanas or towels to reduce body temperature.

Lever says that communication and awareness have played a huge role in the last few weeks. He has shared hot weather guidance before and during events, including daily weather updates, heat illness awareness briefings, and guidance for shift leaders and posters.

Harry Guthrie, director of HG Event Production, says that cold drinks and beers at the end-of-day debrief have proved popular this summer. But ice lolly and suncream breaks have got an equally big reaction.

“The lollies give you sugar to keep going – it’s a nice touch and makes the safety officers look good rather than always nagging,” he says, laughing.

But whilst he jests, it’s not nagging. Event professionals simply want to create event and festival environments that are safe, sustainable, and supportive of everyone onsite. Not just customers. Crew too.

wwww.quadmedical.co.uk n 63

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE SHOW CAN’T STOP. COUNT ON YOUR INSURANCE PARTNER TO SUPPORT YOU. WELFARE BUGGIES

Make welfare a priority Oscar Norman, Sunbelt Rentals’ national operations manager, discusses why it’s important to invest in the people behind the performance

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When every performance matters, you need specialist insurance backed by people who understand your industry.

SPEAK TO A SPECIALIST TODAY Gary Brooks Client Director E: GBrooks@specialistrisk.com T: 07741 673002 Specialist Risk Entertainment and Sport is a Trading Name of Specialist Risk Insurance Solutions Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the

Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 473138). Registered Address: 7th Floor, hen organisers talk about infrastructure, the conversation almost The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London, England, EC3A 7AW. Registered in England and Wales (Company No. 06368755). Specialist Risk always begins with the things people can see, fencing, trackway, Insurance Solutions Limited is part of the Specialist Risk Group. lighting, staging. They’re all fundamental to delivering a successful event, but there is another part of the operation that deserves exactly the same level of attention because it has just as much influence on whether an event runs well or not: welfare.

As festivals become larger, build programmes become more Stand Out Magazine_September26_Specialist Risk_QP.indd 1 11/08/2026 16:35 complex and attendee expectations continue to rise. Therefore, welfare has evolved from being a practical requirement into an important part of operational planning. This is a positive change because looking after the people delivering an event isn't simply about providing facilities, it's about creating the conditions that allow everyone to perform at their best. This is especially relevant for those who may be among the first to arrive and the last to leave, they spend days installing equipment and preparing infrastructure before attendees arrive. Planning welfare throughout that entire lifecycle, rather than only for the live event itself, helps keep those operations running efficiently from start to finish.

MUSIC & EVENT INSURANCE SPECIALISTS It’s often the simplest decisions that have the greatest impact Event Organisers, Promoters, Suppliers, Artists, on those supporting events. Positioning welfare units, toilets and Freelancers & more catering close to active work areas means crews spend less time travelling across site and more time focused on their roles. Across Contact Tim Rudland for all your insurance needs: a large festival or public event, even a short journey away from the work area can become a significant interruption when repeated 07772 013305 | tim.rudland@tysers.com across multiple crews and shifts.

Another area changing the conversation around welfare is the increasing impact of extreme weather. Access to drinking water, www.tysers.com/tyserslive shaded rest areas, air-conditioned welfare facilities and appropriate break schedules are fundamental parts of operational planning, especially for those carrying out physically demanding work while wearing full PPE. The same principle applies throughout the year whether teams are working through high summer temperatures or during colder winter conditions. Welfare should be designed around the environment people are working in, ensuring the facilities provided genuinely support for those at the event.

Although attendees may never see the welfare facilities behind the scenes, they’ll experience the results through events that run Tysers Live is a trading name of Tysers Insurance Brokers Limited, smoothly, safely, and professionally. Investing in the people who make authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 305496). events possible is therefore not simply good practice, it is a practical

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INSURANCE

A cover story Organisers are taking pro-active steps to reduce their event insurance premiums whilst insurance providers are actively advising event professionals on hot topics and things to look out for

five days of sun-drenched F ollowing music, surf and coastal culture,

Boardmasters 2026 officially concluded at the beginning of August and welcomed 158,000 music fans to Watergate Bay and the iconic shores of Fistral Beach.

Ticketholders from across the UK and beyond descended upon Newquay to experience a lineup that saw headline performances from three legendary acts.

Yet before Kasabian, Fatboy Slim, and Lily Allen took to the stage, Boardmasters also welcomed a group of insurance underwriters to Cornwall’s coastline.

Jim Cheek, director of treasury at Superstruct, explained: “I joined Superstruct in October 2025 as the director of treasury, with insurance coming into my area of responsibility in 2026.

“Last week, we took the opportunity to host our brokers and a selection of current and potential insurers to show them some of the positive growth and progress Superstruct has achieved,” Cheek continued. “I’m conscious that many underwriters won’t

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have been to one of our festivals before, and essentially, they’re making a judgement on a risk without the opportunity to see for themselves what we do in person. I wanted to give them an opportunity to be here; they can truly understand the risk that they’re insuring, and we are confident on our side if they are doing that, they will a) be extremely competitive with their pricing and b) the wording, the terms that they are insuring under, will continue to be best in class.”

GROUP EFFORT

According to Cheek, Superstruct’s makeup means that whilst the company has acquired a lot of independent festivals and brought them together under one roof, it is proud that the festivals continue to retain creative autonomy. The group function can help support each individual event with expertise in areas such as finance, treasury, HR, and, in this case, insurance.

“The previous ownership very much concentrated on growth through acquisition but Superstruct’s current management team

is constantly looking at how best we can support all of these festivals, so they truly benefit from being part of a group,” Cheek added. “Previously, each festival had its own insurance policy. Over time, that changed.

All the UK festivals sat under a UK policy.

The Spanish festivals sat under a Spanish policy, etc. But there was no kind of truly global policy. In addition, there were certain festivals like Boardmasters, where because of their uniqueness, they sat on their own.

“The key change this year is that for the first time we’ve introduced a group contingency policy,” Cheek explained further. “Our insurers see a well-managed portfolio of amazing events and their risk is diversified and spread, and we benefit from improved terms. For Boardmasters specifically, because of the uniqueness of it, it is not yet in the group policy, and so we’re working with Tysers on how to include this.

Boardmasters has continued to positively evolve and grow since it was cancelled in 2019, and we are looking to demonstrate to our insurers the progression we have made.”

www.tysers.com n 65

INSURANCE POSITIVE EFFECT ON PREMIUMS

According to Cheek, this move is a “justified” and proactive step. The idea is to show the insurers how well Superstruct and Boardmasters operate with the objective being a more accurate understanding of the group’s risk profile which it believes should lead to a better rating.

For example, the festival now benefits from a bespoke weather service that provides more accurate live weather pictures and reports. From an insurance point of view, utilising the service means there’s less chance of full event cancellation.

Tim Rudland, client director at Tysers Live, described the visit as an opportunity to ease nerves. Especially when a show is particularly big or complicated. But if an insurer can see how seriously an organiser takes health and safety, it can have a hugely positive effect on premiums and insurance terms.

THE WHAT IFS

Thankfully, insurance premiums are coming down, said Rudland, and Steven Howell, head of music at Howden Insurance Brokers, Charlie Austen, broker at Vento, and Gary Brooks, client director at Specialist Risk Group, all agree.

This is good news for event businesses when everything else is going up, said Howell. However, Rudland did warn that event suppliers should triple check the terms and conditions of their contracts and paperwork because more are swinging in a promoters’ favour. Moreover, some contractors are finding themselves quite exposed if a show does not take place.

As a result, event professionals are increasingly looking at contingency products to protect themselves. For example, trade credit insurance is proving popular with suppliers choosing to ensure against specific clients or certain shows. The cost depends on who the end client is so you can expect to pay higher premiums for riskier promoters.

“It’s important to talk to your broker and run through the what ifs,” said Rudland. “Nine times out of ten, there is an insurance product that you can look at as a way of offsetting that risk. Is it worth the risk, or can you be a bit smarter contractually? It helps to sit down with someone and talk through your options before making an informed choice.”

UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPOSURE

Brooks concurred. He argued that event professionals should sit down with their broker and educate themselves on what exactly it is they are being covered for. Now, many policies have a reduction in scope so the policy you bought 12 months will almost certainly have changed over the same period, he said.

“I think the big thing to understand is what exposures you’ve got under a contract,” Brooks continued. “I feel like the one overriding thing I am always saying is have a conversation with your broker; sooner rather than later, and don’t put off those conversations because you’ll end up getting much more value and understanding things a bit more.”

66 n www.tysers.com

I would always advise organisers to look at what your actual capacity is on site rather than the licence capacity.

STEVEN HOWELL (he/him) DIGGING

Heat, parametric cover, terrorism, and Martyn’s Law are huge talking points within the insurance market.

Brooks believes that when Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025) is fully enforced, liability insurers will start to look at “increased exposure”. As a result, there could be changes in the market to occupiers’ liability insurance, which is often bundled into public liability products.

“The act will widen an event organiser’s exposure,” Brooks commented. “Will insurers want more premium for that increased exposure and more terms and conditions?

I don’t know. At the moment, if you buy a liability policy as an event organiser, you will get an element of terrorism liability cover.

But Martyn’s Law, there’s a whole new load of things for which you could be found liable. It’s as simple as that.”

Austen stated that one underwriter he works with has started “digging” into the counter terrorism section of an event management plan. If not enough is being done to satisfy the underwriter, terrorism inclusions within public liability insurance can be removed. Therefore, it’s something that will be under the spotlight as Martyn’s Law looms.

According to Howell, terrorism cover is not a new product, but he states that it is being purchased more by regional organisers, running events in rural locations, and not just by those who organise events close to busy city centres or in urban sites. Even products that cover civil unrest or civil commotion are being talked about more widely and “are more in demand now than they were”.

Austen concurred. He recalled a recent claim where crowds became disruptive and aggressive because they were made to wait to enter a festival in extreme heat. The unrest led to property damage, which resulted in the local authority questioning the organiser’s management procedures. Now future events are at risk because the event’s ingress and egress plans were not adapted for the weather.

On June 26, Defqon.1 – organised by Superstruct – was forced to close it gates after the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute issued a rare code red warning due to extreme heat. This was the first time the Netherlands had ever issued a code red warning because of high temperatures.

Therefore, the organising team had no choice but to cancel the remaining days of Defqon.1.

Ticketholders had the option to roll their tickets over to 2027 or receive a full refund.

As well as managing the claim for the 2026 edition, the Superstruct team is now working collaboratively with local authorities to consider how cancellation risk due to heat can be reduced in future years. This proactive management is expected to help manage future year’s insurance premiums.

Indeed, organisers are taking proactive steps to try and mitigate against extreme weather events. Yet whether you are taking precautions against wind, sun, or heat, the conversation is slightly different, but the insurance cover is still the same. The insurance provider will still question whether there is a threat to life or health and safety, and whether it’s physically impossible to

PRECAUTIONS AND POLICIES

Superstruct and Cheek have first-hand experience of how extreme heat is impacting live events and festivals.

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INSURANCE deliver an event. The policy responds in the same way, said Howell.

BEST ESTIMATES

Yet while extreme weather is a major concern, it is not the only issue under the spotlight.

Howell has the following advice for organisers scrutinising every line of the budget and looking to reduce costs.

He said: “I would always advise organisers to look at what your actual capacity is on site rather than the licence capacity. Underwriters charge on a pence per person per day basis.

We get calls to say, ‘We’re a 10,000-capacity festival’ and we can do a quote on that basis.

But actually, in reality, if you only get 5,000 or 6,000 people on a Thursday night, and you have 8,000 on a Friday, and then capacity on Saturday, and less on Sunday, give us those actual figures. Your premium becomes lower because there’s no point in paying for cover unless you’re sold out every single night.

“We can change figures right up to the day before because we know there are estimated figures and there’s always a tolerance. It’s a bit like hire equipment when people say they have a million pounds worth of kit on site. Well, it’s never exactly a million pounds because on the day, a different make or model of something will turn up. It’s a moving thing, always done on the best estimate and no one is ever penalised.

“So, if they [an organiser] told us it’s 8,000 on a Friday and 10,000 on the Saturday and 8,000 on the Sunday, but it turns out to be 8,500 or 9,000, it doesn’t invalidate the insurance, but it’s still giving them a saving.

“If people are looking to save money, it’s one of the first things we ask. It’s easy to work on licenced capacity because if you did have everyone on-site, you’d know you have the right cover but actually, the reality is most people don’t,” Howell explained. “It’s the same with equipment; it’s extremely unlikely you’re going to lose every single piece of kit you’ve got on hire.”

VOLUME OF CLAIMS

Both Austen and Brooks warned that theft is on the rise. Petty theft and theft of property claims have jumped by roughly 30 per cent, compared to previous years, said Austen.

With thieves targeting “low value” equipment.

Brooks agreed. He said that insurers are communicating that theft from UK sites is running at nearly double the European rate.

Usually, insurers enquire about security plans and are generally happy if a site has 24-hour security measures but now they are starting to dig a little bit deeper.

“We have access to event safety management plans, which normally answers most questions, so it’s not an additional burden on clients but it’s an issue that’s running a bit hot at the moment, so it’s become a concern for insurers.

“If people are concerned about theft, my advice would be to talk to your insurance provider and consider it in terms of a continuity thing, at the very least.

“It will be interesting to see how the summer goes,” Brooks commented. “One thing we are looking at is the volume of claims that we are currently seeing. From

CHARLIE AUSTEN (he/him) inexperienced crew dropping things, driving into things with plant and all things like that. It can have a cumulative effect.

“It’s making me question whether there’s downward pressure on the staff that people are hiring, whether there’s lack of experience, whether people are hiring cheaper staff… the sheer volume of claims in a matter of a couple of weeks is noticeable so I am having to have some interesting conversations around the economics of what you claim for,” Brooks concluded.

Or perhaps the heat is just getting to everyone?

BOARDMASTERS

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07930 758893 | orders@festivalgas.co.uk www.festivalgas.co.uk

Authorised Distributor

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HELPING YOU DELIVER YOUR EVENTS, SAFELY

UK Made Event Branding & Custom Products Pop-Up Gazebos • Flags • Banners & More | Manufacturing since 2002

Approved training provider 5408

• Tailored training to the event industry • End to end event safety management • Ongoing support for suppliers

www.instantmarquees.co.uk +44 (0)1840213063 shelter@instantmarquees.co.uk

Tel: 07557 669523 | Email: olly@acumensafety.co.uk Web: www.acumensafety.co.uk

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CONNECTIONS ACCESS CONTROL

BARS

Pass Sheet Pro E: Rick@305live.co.uk W: passsheetpro.com

Bar Live Events Unit D215, Parkhall Studios, London, SE21 8DE T: 0208 761 8424 E: nick@barlive.co.uk W: www.barlive.co.uk

ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION

Cask London T: 0208 064 2012 E: info@casklondon.com

Eventwell T: 0800 470 0958 E: bookings@eventwell.org W: EventWell.org

Cambridge Event Bars T: 01223 785401 M: 07837 707057 E: Info@cambridgeeventbars.co.uk W: www.cambridgeeventbars.co.uk

Opal Temporary Access Ltd Norfolk Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 2PS T: 01474 568100 E: info@opaltemporaryaccess.com W: www.opaltemporaryaccess.com : @opal-temporary-access-ltd ALUMINIUM TRUSS & SUPPORT STUCTURES

Truss Aluminium Factory

UK & Ireland TAF-UK Ltd 8 Fryers Road, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 7LZ United Kingdom T: 01922 495 396 E: sales@taf-uk.com

AV, SOUND & LIGHTING Event Production Services The Pack House, Drayton St. Leonard, Oxford, OX10 7BG T: 01844 278446 E: info@epsoxford.com Hire Frequencies T: 0203 3026947 E: enquiries@hirefrequencies.co.uk W: www.hirefrequencies.co.uk Lighthouse Events Reading, UK T: 0333 335 6353 E: info@lighthouse-events.co.uk W: www.lighthouse-events.co.uk/ : @lighthouseeventsuk : @lighthouse-events

Pop-up-Pubs T: 01993 832155 E: info@pop-up-pubs.com W: www.pop-up-pubs.com BRAND ACTIVATION & EXPERIENTIAL Instant Marquees T: 01840 213063 W: www.instantmarquees.co.uk BRANDING Sunbaba Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal, Here East, London E20 3BS T: 0208 988 9100 E: info@sunbaba.co.uk W: www.sunbaba.co.uk BUGGY HIRE Bradshaw Event Vehicles New Lane, Stibbington, Peterborough, PE8 6LW T: 01780 782621 E: rentals@bradshawev.com W: www.bradshawev.com : @Bradshaw_EV

NSR Communications Ltd 16 Caxton Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 8UA E: james@nsrcommunications.co.uk W: nsrcommunications.uk : @nsr-communications-ltd : @NSRComms

Event Buggy Hire T: 0113 393 4100 E: info@eventbuggyhire.co.uk W: www.eventbuggyhire.co.uk

BALLOONS, BUNTING & FLAGS B-Loony Ltd Cape House, 105 Bellingdon Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire, HP5 2HQ T: 01494 774376 E: sales@b-loony.co.uk W: www.b-loony.co.uk

CABINS

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

Innovative Hire Unit N, Lion Works Estate, 543 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth BH12 5AD T: 01202 941 068 W: innovativehire.co.uk

Innovative Hire Unit N, Lion Works Estate, 543 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth BH12 5AD T: 01202 941 068 W: innovativehire.co.uk

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CONNECTIONS NSR Communications Ltd 16 Caxton Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD18 8UA E: james@nsrcommunications.co.uk W: nsrcommunications.uk/ : @nsr-communications-ltd : @NSRComms Qdos Event Hire Ltd Fernside Place, 179 Queens Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0AH T: 0845 862 0952 E: enquiries@qdoseventhire.co.uk W: www.qdoseventhire.co.uk : @qdoseventhire : @Qdos-Event-Hire : @QdosEventHire Wernick Events Joseph House, Northgate Way, Aldridge, Walsall WS9 8ST T: 01922 472 900 E: events@wernick.co.uk W: www.wernick.co.uk/events : @WernickEvents : @WernickEvents CAR PARKING Event Traffic Control Limited Baldersby Gardens, Ripon Road, Baldersby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 4PS T: 08000 246 800 E: info@eventtc.com W: www.eventtc.com CLEANING & SUPPORT SERVICES

CONTROL ROOM MANAGEMENT MinT Command Ltd Unit 1063, Kent Science Park Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8PX E: neil@mintcommand.com W: www.mintcommand.com : @neilminter : @MinTcommand : @MinTcommand CORPORATE CREW Rodeo Crew 128 Wey House, 15 Church Street, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8NA T: 020 8075 7799 E: bookcrew@rodeocrew.uk W: www.rodeocrew.uk CREW SERVICES MLD Event Group T: 01903372773 E: office@mldeventgroup.co.uk W: www.mld.events Olympus Crew T: 07904 903452 E: info@olympuscrew.co.uk W: www.olympuscrew.co.uk Optimal Events Group Ltd / Trading as Optimal Crew Marsh Mill Village, 5A, Fleetwood Rd N, Thornton-Cleveleys FY5 4JZ T: 07375 843976 E: enquiries@optimalcrew.co.uk W: optimalcrew.co.uk

Falcon Cleaning Chipping Hall Farm, Chipping, Herts SG9 0DP E: info@falconteam.co.uk W: www.falconteam.co.uk W3W: bless.loses.typed

PS Events Crew Suite 117-119 Lovell House, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6FW T: 0151 319 8888 E: operations@pseventscrew.co.uk W: www.pseventscrew.co.uk

The Nu Group T: 0208 594 0800 E: info@thenugroup.co.uk W: www.thenugroup.co.uk

S3K Group The Old Mill Building, Rookery Farm, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 6EP T: 0845 299 7991 E: office@s3kgroup.com W: www.s3kgroup.com : @s3kgroup : @s3kgroup : @s3kgroup

Top Mops Event Services 7 Bell Yard, London WC2A 2JR T: 0800 970 4035 E: info@topmops.net W: topmops.net COFFEE BARS Markey Ltd 39b Park Farm Ind Estate, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 9AZ T: 01763 271110 E: info@markey.co.uk W: www.markey.co.uk

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Stage Miracles Ltd The UK’s Leading Crew Company We supply crew in: London (and surrounding areas), Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Birmingham, and more Rooms 39-40, The Enterprise Centre Cranbourne Road, Potters Bar EN6 3DQ T: 01707 662 500 E: mail@stagemiracles.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

CONNECTIONS YOUR Group – A global workforce T: 0203 576 2330 E: connect@your-group.co.uk W: www.your-group.co.uk : @your.comp.group : @your-companies-group Video: https://vimeo.com/yourvid/ presentationuk

CM Production Management Ltd T: 020 8056465 E: hello@cmpm.co.uk W: www.cmpm.co.uk : @cmpmlive : @cmpmlive LFX Events Unit 10 Merchants House, Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1EU E: enquiries@lfxevents.co.uk W: www.lfxevents.co.uk

CROWD MANAGEMENT K4 Group of Companies Event Safety: Security, Crowd Control & Medical Services Under One Roof 4th Floor, Holdsworth House 65–73 Staines Rd, London TW3 3H T: 020 3143 3998 E: admin@k4group.co.uk W: k4group.co.uk : @k4groupofcompanies : @k4-group-of-companies : @k4groupofcompanies EQUIPMENT HIRE

Saward Marketing and Events T: 07788 660996 E: admin@saward-me.com W: saward-me.com Victorious Events T: 07922 836227 E: info@victoriousevents.co.uk W: victoriousevents.co.uk EVENT PASS PRINTING

GAP Event Services CityPoint 2, 25 Tyndrum Street, Glasgow, G4 0JY T: 03330 094 153 E: events@gap-group.co.uk W: www.gap-group.co.uk EVENT ACCOMMODATION

Eyecatchers T: 01772 681000 E: sales@eyecatchers.co.uk W: www.eyecatchers.co.uk / www.myeventpass.co.uk EVENT PRODUCTION

Bunkabin Tweedale Way, Oldham, OL9 7LD T: 0345 456 7899 E: hires@bunkabin.co.uk W: www.bunkabin.co.uk Zoo Events Group Ltd Stockton Dairy, Stockton, Warminster, BA12 OSQ T: 01258 840233 E: info@zooeventsgroup.co.uk W: www.zooeventsgroup.co.uk EVENT CONSTRUCTION Setstage Ltd T: 01274 265217 E: info@setstage.co.uk : @kate-greenwood-82315223 EVENT CONTROL, RADIO & WI-FI SERVICES Controlled Events T: 0203 286 6392 E: info@controlledevents.com W: www.controlledevents.com EVENT MANAGEMENT Bright Events Ltd T: 07856588815 W: www.brighteventsltd.com : @karen-edwards-events

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

Culture Creative T: 01665 798 007 E: info@culturecreative.co.uk W: www.culturecreative.co.uk SC Productions Ltd T: 02921 850 650 E: admin@scproductionsltd.com W: scproductionsltd.com EVENT SAFETY Acumen Safety T: 07557 669523 E: hello@acumensafety.co.uk W: acumensafety.co.uk K4 Group of Companies Event Safety: Security, Crowd Control & Medical Services Under One Roof 4th Floor, Holdsworth House, 65–73 Staines Rd, London TW3 3H T: 020 3143 3998 E: admin@k4group.co.uk W: k4group.co.uk : @k4groupofcompanies : @k4-group-of-companies : @k4groupofcompanies LFX Safety Unit 10 Merchants House, Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1EU E: enquiries@lfxsafety.co.uk W: www.lfxsafety.co.uk

www.falconteam.co.uk n 73

CONNECTIONS Number 8 Safety The Hay Shed, Sparrows Lane Matching Green, Essex, CM17 0RP T: 0203 7437292 E: info@number8events.co.uk W: number8events.com Radius Desklodge House, Redcliffe Way, Bristol, England, BS1 6NL E: info@radius-events.com W: www.radius-events.com : @radiuseventsltd SafetyDocs Layton Lane, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6RG T: 0208 242 4942 E: info@safetydocs.org W: safetydocs.org

Zone Secure Gorsley Business Park, Ross on Wye HR9 7SD E: info@zonesecure.co.uk W: www.zonesecure.co.uk FENCING SCRIM & SITE SUPPLIES Concept Products Ltd 10 Cary Court, Somerton Business Park, Somerton, TA11 6SB T: 01458 274020 E: ben@conceptproductsltd.co.uk W: www.conceptproductsltd.co.uk FESTIVAL GAS Festival Gas Supplying LPG gas solutions to major events and festivals in the UK T: 07930 758893 E: simon@festivalgas.co.uk W: www.festivalgas.co.uk

EVENT SERVICES Number 8 Hire Ltd The Hay Shed, Sparrows Lane, Matching Green, CM17 0RP T: 0203 7437292 E: info@number8events.co.uk W: www.number8events.com

FIRE COVER Red Rose Fire Solutions Ltd 6 Brissenden Close, New Romney Kent TN28 8JD T: 01995 503504 E: info@redrosefiresolutions.co.uk

EVENT VEHICLE HIRE Bradshaw Event Vehicles New Lane, Stibbington, Peterborough, PE8 6LW T: 01780 782621 E: rentals@bradshawev.com W: www.bradshawev.com : @Bradshaw_EV EXHIBITION STAND CONTRACTORS Access Displays Unit 38, Whitehill Industrial Estate, Whitehill Lane, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, SN4 7DB T: 01793 613088 E: sales@accessdisplays.co.uk W: www.accessdisplays.co.uk EXHIBITION TRAILERS & MOBILE UNITS Inchmere Event Design Ltd Swan Close Studios, Swan Close Road, Banbury, OX16 5TE T: 01295 661000 E: alastair@inchmere.co.uk W: www.inchmere.co.uk TCM Trailers Ltd Watery Lane, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 7SE E: emily@tcmtrailers.co.uk W: www.tcmtrailers.co.uk FENCING & BARRIERS Augusta Event Support Ltd Cadeby, CV13 0BD E: Sarah@aesteam.co.uk W: augustaeventsupport.com

74 n www.falconteam.co.uk

Virtus Fire T: 01895 590212 E: office@virtusservices.co.uk W: www.virtusfire.co.uk FLAGS Instant Marquees T: 01840 213063 W: www.instantmarquees.co.uk FLOORING & FLOOR COVERINGS Coir Store 8-9 Yelverton Road, Brislington, Bristol BS4 5HP T: 07983 614410 E: info@coirstore.co.uk W: coirstore.co.uk Event Flooring Solutions Ltd T: 01509 768 252 E: sales@efseurope.co.uk W: www.efseurope.co.uk FURNITURE HIRE / SALES Furniture On The Move Unit B, Canada Warehouse, Chittening Industrial Estate, Worthy Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, BS11 0YB T: 0845 459 9875 E: info@furnitureonthemove.co.uk W: www.furnitureonthemove.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

CONNECTIONS

Innovative Hire Unit N, Lion Works Estate, 543 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth BH12 5AD T: 01202 941 068 W: innovativehire.co.uk

HEATING & COOLING SYSTEMS

LIGHTING TOWERS Boels Rental T: 01245 208031 E: lighting@boels.co.uk W: www.boels.com LITTER PICKING Falcon Cleaning Chipping Hall Farm, Chipping, Herts, SG9 0DP E: info@falconteam.co.uk W: www.falconteam.co.uk W3W: bless.loses.typed

Cooling & Heating Solutions Ltd Marlwood House, Silver Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 6DG, UK T: 01590 681 434 E: sales@candhs.co.uk W: coolingandheatingsolutions.com

The Nu Group T: 0208 594 0800 E: info@thenugroup.co.uk W: www.thenugroup.co.uk

Spica Temperature Control Solutions Ltd 20 Crowsport, Hamble, Hampshire, SO31 4HG T: 02380 453841 M: 07780 638976 E: kay@spicasolutions.com W: www.spicasolutions.com

Top Mops Event Services 7 Bell Yard, London WC2A 2JR T: 0800 970 4035 E: info@topmops.net W: topmops.net

INSURANCE Tysers Insurance Brokers 71 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4BS T: 0203 037 8000 E: tim.rudland@tysers.com W: www.tysers.com LASER & FX Laser Grafix Unit 4A Stratton Park, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 8QS UK office: 01767 315948 Dubai office: +971 4887 9808 E: info@lgfx.co.uk W: www.lgfx.co.uk LED SCREENS EMF Technology Ltd Unit 27 Freemantle House, Kingsclere Business Park, Kingsclere, Hants, RG20 4SW T: 020 8003 3344 E: info@emftechnology.co.uk W: www.emftechnology.co.uk Lightmedia Displays Mobile & Modular LED Screen Hire T: 0333 600 6000 – 24 hour response E: sales@lightmedia.co.uk W: www.lightmedia.co.uk

MARQUEES Alternative Stretch Tents Building 15, Gateway 1000, A1 (M) jct 7, Stevenage, SG1 2FP T: 01920 830256 E: info@alternative-stretch.co.uk Fews Marquees Chessgrove Park, Ditchford Bank Road, Hanbury, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 4HS T: 01527 821789 E: info@fews.co.uk W: www.fewsmarquees.co.uk Instant Marquees T: 01840 213063 W: www.instantmarquees.co.uk Mahood Marquees Ltd 8 Lords Fold, Rainford, Saint Helens WA11 8HP T: 01744 882 079 W: mahoodmarquees.com RÖDER UK T: 01487 840840 E: sales@roderuk.com W: www.roderuk.com

Tech AV Ltd London, Essex, Birmingham T: 0345 257 9969 E: lee@techav.events W: www.techav.events

TT Tents Ltd North Waltham Business Centre, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG25 2DJ T: 01256 397 551 E: sales@tttents.co.uk

YSLV London & York T: 0800 080 3310 E: hire@yslv.co.uk W: www.yslv.co.uk

Tentickle Stretch Tents UK Ltd Langley Brook Business Park, Unit 3B London Rd, Tamworth, B78 2BP T: 0121 7401385 M: 07826 843099 E: jorg@tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk W: www.tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

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CONNECTIONS Tentstyle T: 01403 333135 E: enquiries@tentstyle.co.uk W: www.tentstyle.co.uk Top Cat Big Tops Tents & Marquees Ltd The Old Stable Yard, Gasworks Ln, Achynlleth, SY20 8BY T: 01654 700030 E: info@topcatbigtops.co.uk W: www.topcatbigtops.co.uk Ziggu Marquees Dutton Green, Little Stanney, Chester, CH2 4SA T: 01244722739 E: hello@ziggumarquees.com W: www.ziggumarquees.com MARQUEES ACCESSORIES Opas Southern Ltd Enterprise House, St Lawrence Avenue Worthing, West Sussex BN14 7JH Free Phone: 0845 1300 477 E: sales@opas.co.uk W: www.opas.co.uk MEDICAL SERVICES First Aid Cover Ltd 405 Kings Road, London SW10 0BB T: 020 8875 5758 E: enquiries@firstaidcover.co.uk W: www.firstaidcover.co.uk K4 Group of Companies Event Safety: Security, Crowd Control & Medical Services Under One Roof 4th Floor, Holdsworth House, 65–73 Staines Rd, London TW3 3H T: 020 3143 3998 E: admin@k4group.co.uk W: k4group.co.uk : @k4groupofcompanies : @k4-group-of-companies : @k4groupofcompanies Quad Medical Ltd T: 07904706660 QUAD MEDICAL LIMITED E: info@quadmedical.co.uk W: www.quadmedical.co.uk www.event-welfare.co.uk PARKING Wise Parking T: 03301 334522 E: info@wiseparking.co.uk W: www.wiseparking.co.uk PLANT HIRE Charles Wilson 86 High Street, Harpenden, AL5 2SP T: 0800 458 5701 E: instanthire@cwplant.co.uk W: www.cwplant.co.uk

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PORTABLE TOILET HIRE A Star All Solutions T: 02477 350679 W: www.astarallsolutions.co.uk Excloosive Event Hire Field House, Bromley Park, Abbots Bromley Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 3AH T: 01283 575 749 M: 07778 473 064 E: info@excloosive.co.uk LOOS FOR DOs Ltd Bakers Court, Forge Road, Kingsley, Hampshire GU35 9NZ T: 01420 588 355 E: info@loos.co.uk W: www.loos.co.uk Ontrax Rentals Elmwood Farm, Bampton OX18 2PL, England E: hello@ontraxrentals.com W: www.ontraxrentals.com Site Event The Depot, The Avenue, Lasham, Hampshire GU34 5SU T: 01256 384 134 E: event@site-equip.co.uk W: www.site-equip.co.uk Vacant Event Hire Unit C White Oak Technology Park, London Road, Swanley, Kent BR8 7AG T: 01322 761 117 M: 07960 301178 E: info@vacant.events W: vacant.events Zoo Events Group Ltd Stockton Dairy, Stockton, Warminster, BA12 OSQ T: 01258 840233 E: info@zooeventsgroup.co.uk W: www.zooeventsgroup.co.uk POWER & GENERATORS ATD Electrical Unit 93, Greenway Business Centre, Greenway, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5QE T: 01279 507890 E: office@atdelectrical.com W: www.atdelectrical.com Festival Power Ltd Unit 2, Temple Bridge Business Park, Bristol, BS39 5AA E: info@festivalpower.co.uk W: www.festivalpower.co.uk Gofer Ltd Unit 7 Arkwright Road, Hadleigh Road Ind. Est, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 0UB T: 01473 282530 E: info@gofer.co.uk W: www.gofer.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

CONNECTIONS IDE Systems Head Office & Manufacturing Centre, Unit 3, Swaffield Park Hyssop Close, Cannock Staffordshire, WS11 7FU United Kingdom T: 01543 574 111 E: enquiries@idesystems.co.uk W: www.idesystems.co.uk Instagrid UK Ltd Silent, Clean and Portable Power T: 07939 315074 E: andy.barnby@instagrid.co

PROJECTION EMF Technology LTD Projection Mapping, Water Screens, Flame Effects, Lighting, Mains Distribution T: 020 8003 3344 E: info@emftechnology.co.uk W: www.emftechnology.co.uk RADIO COMMUNICATIONS 2CL Communications Ltd Unit C, Woodside Trade Centre, Parnham Drive, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 4NU T: 0800 389 2278 E: contact@2cl.co.uk W: www.2cl.co.uk

Newburn Power Rental Limited Unit 36 Lidgate Crescent, Langthwaite Business Park, South Kirkby, Pontefract, WF9 3NR T: 0845 077 6693 E: info@npr-uk.com

DCRS Edison Road, St.Ives, Cambs, PE27 3LH T: 0800 043 2688 E: sales@dcrs.co.uk W: www.dcrs.co.uk

Pearce Hire Unit 8-9 Reynolds Industrial Park, Thetford IP24 3RR T: 01733 554950 E: info@pearcehire.co.uk W: www.pearchire.co.uk

Icom UK T: 01227 741741 E: sales@icomuk.co.uk W: www.icomuk.co.uk

Power Revolution Unit 9 Kelvin Place, Stanton, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 2AR T: 01359 256 265 E: info@power-revolution.co.uk W: www.power-revolution.co.uk

Light of Night T: 0203 189 2679 E: info@lightofnight.co.uk W: www.lightofnight.co.uk

Robert Blezard Electrical Contractor Ltd Unit 5, Fishes & Peggy Hill Fm, Clitheroe BB7 3BY T: 01200 777 666 E: hello@robertblezard.co.uk W: www.robertblezard.co.uk

Marathon Communications Ltd Oakhurst Business Park, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 9RT T: 01403 473 858 E: info@marathoncomms.co.uk W: www.marathoncomms.co.uk : @marathoncomms : @marathoncomms : @marathoncomms : @marathoncomms

The Technical Department 14 Henley Business Park, Pirbright Road, Normandy, Surrey, GU3 2DX T: 01483 238 050 or 07850 367 917 E: chantal@thetechnicaldepartment.com XLE Event Services T: 01789 224227 E: info@xle.co.uk W: www.xle.co.uk : @xle_events : @xleeventservices : @XLeventservices PRINTERS UK Flyers Suite 210, Victory House, Somers Road, North Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 1PJ T: 023 9229 3050 E: sales@ukflyers.com W: www.ukflyers.com

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

RATCHET STRAPS Ratchet Straps UK T: 0333 2027110 E: sales@ratchetstrapsuk.co.uk W: www.ratchetstrapsuk.co.uk RECYCLING Falcon Cleaning Chipping Hall Farm, Chipping, Herts SG9 0DP E: info@falconteam.co.uk W: www.falconteam.co.uk W3W: bless.loses.typed

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CONNECTIONS The Nu Group T: 0208 594 0800 E: info@thenugroup.co.uk W: www.thenugroup.co.uk REFRIGERATED STRUCTURES Cask London T: 0208 064 2012 E: info@casklondon.com Dawsongroup tcs Export Drive, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Dawsongroup | tcs Nottinghamshire NG17 6AF T: 01623 518538 E: info@dgtcs.co.uk W: dgtcs.co.uk/inflatable-cold-rooms REUSABLE CUPS Re-uz UK Less is now Limited Unit 1A Walrow Industrial Estate, Commerce Way, Highbridge TA9 4AG T: 01278 238390 E: info.uk@reuz.com W: www.re-uz.com & www.green-goblet.com SAFETY TRAINING Acumen Safety T: 07557 669523 E: training@acumensafety.co.uk W: acumensafety.co.uk SCAFFOLD SYSTEM & TRUSS STRUCTURES SRG Structures Oldbury Lane, Bristol, BS35 1RE T: 0117 911 4034 E: info@srg-structures.com W: www.srg-structures.com SEATING Ace Seating Hire T: 01832 279333 E: info@aceseating.co.uk W: www.aceseating.co.uk SECURITY Alliance Events Ltd Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, England, B78 3HL T: 02034 885480 E: admin@alliancemanagementgroup.co.uk W: www.alliancemanagementgroup.co.uk Anubis Group T: 0800 121 6576 E: sales@anubis-security.com/ recruitment@anubis-security.com W: www.anubis-security.com

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ESM Operations T: 07355 094162 E: info@esmoperations.com W: www.esmoperations.com K4 Group of Companies Event Safety: Security, Crowd Control & Medical Services Under One Roof 4th Floor, Holdsworth House, 65–73 Staines Rd, London TW3 3H T: 020 3143 3998 E: admin@k4group.co.uk W: k4group.co.uk : @k4groupofcompanies : @k4-group-of-companies : @k4groupofcompanies Light of Night T: 0203 189 2679 E: info@lightofnight.co.uk W: www.lightofnight.co.uk Manchett Security The Tack Room, Lorkins Farm, Conway’s Road, Orsett, Grays, Essex, RM16 3E T: 01375 470 022 E: info@manchett-security.com W: www.manchett-security.com : @ManchettSec – : @ManchettGroup : @ManchettSec – McKenzie Arnold Group T: 01376 350 999 M: 07701 048 69 E: joanna.white@mckenziearnold.com New Dawn Security and Training Unit 10 Dunley Hill Court, Ranmore Common, Effingham RH5 6SX T: 01306779436 E: Events@ndst.ltd W: www.ndst.ltd Newman Event Services Ltd Crowd Management, Festival & Event Security/Stewarding.

Bloxham Mill, Barford Road, Bloxham, Oxfordshire, OX15 4FF T: 01295 722844 E: enquiries@newmanevents.co.uk W: www.newmanevents.co.uk Right Guard Security Experts in Crowd Management and Event Security T: 01227 464588 E: info@rightguard.co.uk W: www.rightguard.co.uk Showsec Regent House, 16 West Walk, Leicester, LE1 7NA T: 0116 204 3333 E: sales@showsec.co.uk W: showsec.co.uk : @showsec.uk : @Showsec : @showsec

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

CONNECTIONS Specialized Security T: 01506 249001 E: info@specializedsecurity.co.uk W: www.specializedsecurity.co.uk Trojan Security Unit B7 Loughton Seedbed Centre Langston Road, Loughton IG10 3TQ T: 0330 113 9966 E: info@trojansecurityuk.co.uk W: www.trojansecurityuk.co.uk : @trojan_security_UK : @trojan-security-uk-ltd : @TrojanLondon SET & SCENERY CONSTRUCTION Staged Events Ltd Meadow View, Newnham Lane, Old Basing, Hampshire, RG24 7AU T: 01256578055 E: info@stagedevents.com W: www.stagedevents.com SHOWERS Zoo Events Group Ltd Stockton Dairy, Stockton, Warminster, BA12 OSQ T: 01258 840233 E: info@zooeventsgroup.co.uk W: www.zooeventsgroup.co.uk SITE MANAGEMENT Special Projects, Site Management T: 01738 505 747 E: info@specialprojects-uk.com W: www.specialprojects-uk.com SOUND, LIGHTING, VISION, POWER AND SCENIC SPH Event Production LTD Unit 7, Upper Wensleydale Business Park, Brunt Acres Road, Hawes, DL8 3UZ T: 01535 442084 W: www.event-production.live STAGING & RIGGING IPS (Impact Production Services) Second Avenue,Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1ED T: 01908 657950 E: enquiries@ips.co.uk W: www.ips.co.uk Rigger.co.uk T: 0333 772 0120 E: contact@rigger.co.uk W: www.rigger.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

Serious Stages Ltd Tor Hill Works, Dulcote, Wells, Somerset, BA5 3NT T: 01749 899 188 E: info@stages.co.uk W: www.stages.co.uk The Stage Bus 19 Prestwood Road, Birmingham B29 5EB T: 0121 585 9264 E: info@thestagebus.com W: www.thestagebus.com SRG Structures Oldbury Lane, Bristol, BS35 1RE T: 0117 911 4034 E: info@srg-structures.com W: www.srg-structures.com Steeldeck Rentals Unit 58, T. Marchant Estate, 42 – 72 Verney Rd, London SE16 3DH T: 0207 833 2031 E: rentals@steeldeck.co.uk W: www.steeldeck.co.uk STAND DESIGN & BUILD Saward Marketing and Events T: 07788 660996 E: admin@saward-me.com W: saward-me.com TEMPORARY BRIDGES Mitchell Bridges Limited London Road, Kings Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7QN T: 01962 885040 M: 07768630373 E: chris@mitchellbridges.com W: www.mitchellbridges.com TEMPORARY ROADWAYS Cap Trac Limited The Stables, Loke Farm, Weston Longville, Norwich, NR9 5LG T: 01603 880448 E: info@captrac.co.uk W: www.captrac.co.uk TEMPORARY STRUCTURES Creative Structures Creative House, Station Road, Theale RG7 4PD T: 0118 380 5590 W: www.creativestructuresgroup.com

www.falconteam.co.uk n 79

CONNECTIONS Fews Marquees Chessgrove Park, Ditchford Bank Road, Hanbury, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 4HS T: 01527 821789 E: info@fews.co.uk W: www.fewsmarquees.co.uk

WH Silverbacks Unit 26, Oakfield Road, Woolsbridge Industrial Park, Dorset BH21 6FE T: 01202 096957 E: info@silverbacks.co.uk W: whsilverbacks.co.uk

Innovative Hire Unit N, Lion Works Estate, 543 Wallisdown Road Bournemouth BH12 5AD T: 01202 941 068 W: innovativehire.co.uk Losberger De Boer Castle Park, Boundary Road, Brackley, Northamptonshire, NN13 7ES T: 01280 846500 E: sales.uk@losbergerdeboer.com W: www.losbergerdeboer.com/uk Media Structures : Imagine, Create, Deliver Green Lane Sawmills, Outwood, Surrey RH1 5QP T: 0203 781 7772 E: lance.baker@mediastructures.co.uk W: www.mediastructures.uk

TRACKWAY TRACKWAY

Worldwide Structures Ltd Ayrshire Farm, Sharcott, Pewsey, SN9 5PA T: 01672 565 060 / 07875 027369 E: enquiries@w-sl.com W: www.worldwidestructures.com

All Weather Access Ltd County Farm, High Roding, Dunmow, Essex CM6 1NQ T: 01371 700510 M: 07801 751137 E: henry@all-weatheraccess.co.uk W: www.all-weatheraccess.co.uk TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

NEPTUNUS Ltd Cob Drive, Swan Valley, Northampton NN4 9BB T: 01604 593820 E: sales@neptunus.co.uk W: www.neptunus.co.uk

BUKO Traffic & Safety T: 0333 110 0020 E: sales@buko.co.uk : @bukotrafficandsafety : @buko-traffic-safety : @bukotrafficandsafety

RÖDER UK T: 01487 840840 E: sales@roderuk.com W: www.roderuk.com

Carbonite Traffic Solutions T: 020 3567 1479 E: enquiries@carbonitetraffic.co.uk W: www.carbonitetraffic.co.uk

Technical Overlay by Visions Unit 2 Thames Valley Connect, Western Road, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1QP T: 01189 358121 E: info@visionsgroup.co.uk W: www.technicaloverlay.co.uk

CSP (The Combined Services Provider) Unit 1, Abloy House, Hatters Lane, Watford, WD18 8AJ T: 020 8900 2405 E: sales@gotocsp.com W: gotocsp.com

Tentickle Stretch Tents UK Ltd Langley Brook Business Park, Unit 3B London Rd, Tamworth, B78 2BP T: 0121 7401385 M: 07826 843099 E: jorg@tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk W: www.tentickle-stretchtents.co.uk

Event Traffic Control Ltd Baldersby Gardens, Ripon Road, Baldersby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 4PS T: 08000 246 800 E: info@eventtc.com W: www.eventtc.com

Triton Projects Unit D, Islington Warehouse, Little Catterton Lane, Islington, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 8EA. T: 01937 229911 W: www.triton-projects.com TT Tents Ltd North Waltham Business Centre, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG25 2DJ T: 01256 397 551 E: sales@tttents.co.uk W: www.tttents.co.uk

80 n www.falconteam.co.uk

Right Guard Traffic Management Event Traffic Management CSAS Accredited Traffic Officers Car Parking • Event Signage T: 01227 464588 E: info@rightguard.co.uk W: www.rightguard.co.uk Total Event Solutions Unit 12, Bredhurst Business Park, Westfield Sole Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EH T: 01634 826 999 W: www.totaleventsolutions.co.uk

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

CONNECTIONS WASTE MANAGEMENT Falcon Cleaning Chipping Hall Farm, Chipping, Herts, SG9 0DP E: info@falconteam.co.uk W: www.falconteam.co.uk W3W: bless.loses.typed ODS Group T: 01865 252039 E: sales@odsgroup.co.uk W: www.odsgroup.co.uk

T.E.S.S Ltd T: 01332 850 860 E: info@tess-ltd.co.uk W: www.tess-ltd.co.uk Wicked Event Water Services Kevin: 07909 771996 E: info@wickedeventwaterservices.com W: www.wews.biz WIFI, INTERNET & STREAMING attend2IT Unit 6-8 Park Farm Industrial Estate, Buntingford T: 01763 877 477 W: attend2it.co.uk

The Nu Group T: 0208 594 0800 E: info@thenugroup.co.uk W: www.thenugroup.co.uk Top Mops Event Services 7 Bell Yard, London WC2A 2JR T: 0800 970 4035 E: info@topmops.net W: topmops.net

Fli-Fi Ltd UK Wide T: 020 3778 0454 E: enquiries@fli-fi.com W: www.fli-fi.com

WATER & PLUMBING SERVICES MTD (UK & Ireland) Ltd Unit 1 Westerngate, Hillmead Enterprise Park, Langley Road, Swindon, SN5 5WN T: 01264 773 818 E: sales.uk@mtd.net W: www.mtd.net

NVENTS T: 0330 043 5113 E: info@nvents.co W: nvents.co SimpliWifi Unit 13, Leominster Enterprise Park, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0LX T: 0800 298 9434 E: hello@simpliwifi.agency W: simpliwifi.agency

Online Geographical Directory www.standoutmagazine.co.uk

PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP. StandOut Magazine_May26_HOUSE AD_CONNECTIONS_185 X 135.indd 1

Sponsored by the Falcon Team

24/04/2026 11:30

www.falconteam.co.uk n 81

NEXT ISSUE

Editor Caroline Clift caroline@standoutmagazine.co.uk

Featured in our next issue...

Advertising manager Jen Crisp jen@standoutmagazine.co.uk Account manager Sarah Bourne sarah@standoutmagazine.co.uk Account executive Lewis Briggs lewis@standoutmagazine.co.uk Marketing executive Katie Goldsmith marketing@standoutmagazine.co.uk Design and production Neil Hepden Jemma Heslop Emma Hickman Colin Swaffer standout@tandemmedia.co.uk

IT’S A CELEBRATION

Whilst Notting Hill Carnival is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary, the organising team has also invested in its future. StandOut finds out more Image: © Jordan Munns

Credit control Janine Walmsley creditcontrol@standoutmagazine.co.uk Managing director Neil Fagg neil@standoutmagazine.co.uk T: 01795 509101 CEO John Denning StandOut Multimedia Limited, 10 The Metford, Evegate Business Park, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6SX T: 01795 509113 www.standoutmagazine.co.uk

GOOD FOUNDATIONS

A number of organisers have opted to introduce new stages at their events and festivals.

StandOut takes a look at best practice and new products Image: © Adam Lievesley

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical or physical – without express prior permission and written consent of the publisher. Contributions are invited and when not accepted will be returned only if accompanied by a fully stamped and addressed envelope. Manuscripts should be typewritten. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or in the editor’s hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to StandOut Multimedia Limited. The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement. Information about products and services featured within the editorial content does not imply an endorsement by StandOut magazine. © 2026. StandOut Multimedia Limited, 10 The Metford, Evegate Business Park, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6SX

ON TRACK

CarFest has a new home for 2026 in the shape of Silverstone. StandOut goes behind the scenes to bring you the latest from the organising team

82 n www.olympuscrew.co.uk

WORKING ON SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS WE ARE A CREWING COMPANY FOR THE CLIENTS AND FOR THE CREW. WE ENSURE THE BEST SERVICES FOR YOU.

• We have a diverse skillset including carpentry, audio visual and with each member having a positive, can do attitude.

• We have forklift and IPAF operators

t: 07904 903 452 e: info@olympuscrew.co.uk www.olympuscrew.co.uk

When you need us, we deliver...

Our in-house transport means we control the delivery, the collection, and the quality of your event equipment.

PROFESSIONAL TRANSPORT, EVERY TIME…

01908 562191 / hire@aceplant.co.uk / www.aceplant.co.uk