Issue 22 October 2008 £4.75
Action call to tackle ticket touts By Christina Eccles PRESSURE is growing for tough action to tackle ticket touts as thousands of fans were left out of pocket this summer after buying fake tickets – or ones that simply didn’t exist. Fans who bought tickets online for some of the UK’s biggest events found when they arrived, they were fake or representatives who were supposed to hand them over at the gates never turned up and were uncontactable. Islington Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading have confirmed they are investigating the company alleged to be behind one of the websites. The industry is divided about who is to blame for the spiralling problem of touts. Some industry figures have called on the government to toughen up on touts while others believe this responsibility should fall to the event organisers themselves. Richard Marks – CEO of online ticket exchange company Scarlet Mist – said promoters could reduce touting by allowing fans who cannot attend an event to get their money back. He said: “Promoters should provide
refunds because there are a lot of reasons why some tickets fall into the hands of touts and one is because there are people who have bought tickets who cannot go to the event but cannot get a refund either.” The secondary ticketing market was also condemned by Mark Hamilton – managing director of G4S Events – whose company commissioned research into the market revealing those who buy from these websites end up paying way over the odds for tickets. He added: “Purchasing tickets from unauthorised outlets really isn’t in the consumers’ best interests. Tickets bought in this way are likely to be highly over-priced and could even be fraudulent.” But the furious chairman of the Association of Secondary Ticket Agents Graham Burns insisted there is a place for the secondary ticketing market – providing agents operate ethically: “It is time the government endorsed the ASTA code and made it compulsory for everyone working in the secondary ticketing market to adopt a code of practice. Until that happens the public are put at risk.”
Promoters could lose millions
A homecoming event for Olympic Gold medallist Rebecca Adlington (pictured) has taken place in Mansfield – organised just two weeks after she won her second gold medal. With such little time to prepare the event, organisers Mansfield District Council used their tried and tested Christmas events strategy to ensure everything went to plan. Town centre events and promotion co-ordinator Lisa Vincent said: “I based preparation around the logistics used for the switching on of the Christmas lights. We didn’t know how many people to expect so all planning and preparation revolved around our festive strategy. I have been planning this Christmas since March and it’s usually a case of just tying up the loose ends in the last two weeks not planning the whole event, so we are all really pleased with how things went.” Full story, Page 9
PROMOTERS could lose out on millions as a result of people who deliberately enter events without paying, according to new research. A new study commissioned by G4S Security Services (UK) revealed the potentially huge losses the events industry faces with nearly one million people admitting to entering a festival, music or sports event without paying in the last five years. The research also suggested 16-24 year olds are the least concerned with avoiding ticket costs – 11 per cent of those questioned thought such behaviour was morally acceptable. Managing director of G4S Events Mark Hamilton said: “Revenue protection is a key concern for the music and sports industry. Unfortunately, many Britons do not regard it as morally reprehensible to enter an event without paying.” The Main Event is the official magazine of the National Outdoor Events Association
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Introducing Inspiration ... A NEW magazine for the organisers of corporate events, charity balls and other special occasions was launched at EventUK. Inspiration is produced by Wharncliffe Publishing – the same people behind The Main Event – and it has quickly been adopted as an official magazine of the International Special Events Society. ISES president Will Broome said: “Inspiration is a smart, newsworthy and fun publication with a firm focus on the UK as a whole
which supports ISES UK’s nationwide focus. We are proud to welcome it as a new media sponsor.” Wharncliffe group editor Andrew Harrod said: “With The Main Event and Inspiration, our two titles offer unrivalled coverage of the UK’s events industry. Each title will be dedicated to serving its own niche within the industry. “There are some exciting changes for readers of The Main Event in 2009, with the magazine’s frequency extending once again – from its current 10 issues to 12.”
Festivalgoers link loud music to ear damage – report By Christina Eccles OVER half of festivalgoers believe listening to loud music has damaged their ears, according to new research by the RNID’s Don’t Lose The Music campaign. Researchers at some of this summer’s biggest events – including Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds – discovered the listening habits of hundreds of festivalgoers and found that 53 per cent thought loud music had damaged their ears. The results also showed: 84 per cent had experienced dullness of hearing or ringing in the ears after listening to loud music – a sign they risk damage to hearing if they don’t change their listening habits. 50 per cent had also experienced pain in their ears while listening to loud music. But only 17 per cent had ever taken precautions to protect their hearing. Men were most at risk – with 59 per cent of men aged 26-40 years old saying they had listened to music loud enough to hurt their ears, while 66 per cent aged 26-30 believed it has damaged their hearing. As part of the campaign, the RNID handed out earplugs at these festivals and offered advice to festivalgoers on how to protect their hearing.
Katherine helps with Olympic celebration Page 4
Comfort comes at a cost at Cropredy Pages 8 Welcome home, golden girl Rebecca Page 9
Showman’s Show NOEA Training & recruitment Classified
Pages 16-22 Page 23 Page 28 Pages 29&30
CONTACTS EDITORIAL Group Editor Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 editorial@themaineventmagazine.co.uk Reporters: Nicola Hyde (nl@whpl.net) Christina Eccles (ce@whpl.net) Mary Ferguson (mf@whpl.net)
PRODUCTION Studio Manager: Stewart Holt (sth@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734414 Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston (jhalkerston@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734458 Graphic designer: Kyle Wilkinson (kw@whpl.net) Tel: 01226 734711
Emma Harrison Head of campaigns Emma Harrison said: “We would welcome the opportunity to work with more events to spread the message but it is also a very personal thing as individuals have to be responsible for looking after their own hearing. “Festival organisers are already doing a good job of looking after the hearing of their staff and the five festivals which we attended this year are doing their bit by having us there giving out earplugs and offering advice. “Employees who work at music venues are protected by legislation but people who visit the same places are not. In areas of public health such as smoking and alcohol we are provided with information that allows us to make an informed choice. This is not the case with over exposure to loud music.”
ADVERTISING Group Sales Manager: Paul Allott Tel: 01226 734484 Fax: 01226 734478 Mob: 07917 649402 Email: pa@whpl.net Sales Executive: Mandy Mellor Tel: 01226 734702 Email: mm@whpl.net Assistant Manager: Adam Parry Tel: 01226 734485 Mobile: 07747 446923 Email: ap@whpl.net Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Email: tb@whpl.net
CIRCULATION Kelly Tarff Tel: 01226 734695 email: circulation@wharncliffepublishing.co.uk
A festival tent where the campaign distributed hearing protection and advice and surveyed people about their listening habits. www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk
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Dave wins over locals to stage festival By Christina Eccles A FESTIVAL organiser has revealed how he turned around relationships with local police and residents to stage the biggest festival in Devon. Dave Farrow – organiser of the Beautiful Days Festival – revealed that when he first tried to put on the event seven years ago, Devon and Cornwall police and people living in the area were not keen on the idea. But by getting them involved in the event over the years and proving that their fears were unfounded, he has managed to build up trust with all of the parties involved and now has a really good relationship with them. A concert to celebrate London becoming the official Olympic City has taken place in the capital, attended by 40,000 people. The Visa London 2012 Party included performances from Katherine Jenkins, pictured above, McFly, Scouting for Girls and Will Young. The show synchronised with the Beijing 2008 Olympic closing ceremony at which London Mayor Boris Johnson was
handed the Olympic flag, officially marking the start of London’s run as summer host city. Tickets were allocated via a ballot, with those missing out on attending the event able to watch performances via the UK’s largest-ever network of public giant screens, known as ‘Live Sites’. It was also broadcast on BBC One and BBC Radio 2.
Dave explained: “At first we had a lot of objections to the festival but we have really turned it around and it is now accepted as part of the Devon calendar. “People can see the income that is coming in and a lot of visitors who come are on their way there or way back from a holiday in Devon or
Cornwall and using the festival as a stage into the area. “Initially we had problems with Devon and Cornwall police as some of the inspectors had memories from some of the last festivals which happened in Cornwall in the late 1980s and that was all they really had to compare this festival to.” Dave also said it is important for the festival to support local businesses meaning they can benefit from having the event staged in their area. He added: “We have invited the local co-operative to run their shop at the event and use a local brewery for the beer. “We had to build up some trust but now we have a good relationship with everyone.” This year’s festival was attended by the biggest audience yet as 12,500 people enjoyed performances by, among others, The Levellers, Seth Lakeman, Squeeze and Supergrass.
MATHEW STREET FESTIVAL
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Festival marks its 16th birthday By Mary Ferguson
Right Said Fred played the festival.
ORGANISERS of the Mathew Street Music Festival in Liverpool decided to do things a bit differently to celebrate its 16th anniversary as Europe’s largest city centre music festival. For the first time the event featured six outdoor stages including a new main stage near the Queensway Tunnel, huge LED screens on three stages, and a supporting indoor programme of live music in pubs, clubs and venues across the city. New themes for all six stages included Soul, Diva, Brit Pop and New Bands and a Matthew St Fringe Festival was introduced, featuring original bands. In total, 95 bands performed over 80 hours of live outdoor music, and highlights of the weekend included a 42-piece orchestra from the Czech Republic and a 32-piece military band from Brazil accompanying two Beatles tribute acts. The festival welcomed 335,000 visitors over three days, helping to
achieve 100 per cent bed occupancy, and visitor spend of £25 million. Event manager Eddy Grant said the new programme worked well – but it wasn’t without its challenges. “The events team concentrated resources to establish the new footprint for the outdoor element of the festival. Only two of the six stage locations had been used before so we were working with four new locations. The largest of which, the Tunnel stage, could safely hold up to 70,000 people and this was the most difficult.” Another challenge Eddy faced was was the bus station next to the site. It had to be shut down quickly on the bank holiday Monday but working with traffic officers from Merseytravel and merseyside police, Eddy said the right call was made at the right time. He added: “Any event of this size needs dynamic solutions but ‘Team Liverpool’ worked hard and provided them. I think we ensured a safely managed and extremely successful event.”
‘Ghosts laid to rest’ IT was vital this year’s festival went ahead without hitches after last year’s chaos. Risk assesment specialists warned the organisers that major redevelopment work in the city centre would have meant it was unable to handle the 100,000strong crowd. The event descended in farce after it was cancelled – but then went ahead, albeit on a much smaller scale. Eddy Grant said: “It would be wrong to say that we didn’t feel any extra pressure because of what happened last year. It was important to lay any ghosts to rest that lingered so that when we begin to plan 2009 we can move forward with confidence, with a great success under our belts.”
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‘Green’ policies can help beat credit crunch By Chrisina Eccles
A free event which celebrates South Asian music, arts and culture has taken place in London. The London Mela – held in Gunnersbury Park – is a family orientated event which includes a variety of entertainment such as music, DJs, a circus and comedy. Dealing with security was the responsibility of AP Security which has been working on the event since it started six years ago. Head of security John Phillips said: “Our
staff was given a comprehensive briefing, so they knew what to be aware of and how any occurrence should be handled. “We had a highly experienced management team on site and with the implementation of certain road closures in the area, the entrances to which were manned by our staff, the likelihood of unwanted factions gaining entry was immediately limited so the public could be assured of a trouble free time.”
ADOPTING sustainable practices can help the industry beat the credit crunch by saving organisers money, according to an expert. Event organiser Andrew Williams – of London-based sustainable events company Seventeen Events – told delegates at this year’s Event UK that being environmentally friendly can allow organisers to save costs in some areas – which is important to many people in the current economic climate. He said: “The credit crunch leads to a shift in perceptions. When the going gets tough, the ‘fairweather’ greens will start to retreat as they will see sustainability as a non essential area for their businesses. “The reality is that a downturn makes sustainability an economic imperative – you will use less stuff, throw less away as you are managing resources more effectively and help you to plan for the future as this is not a short term solution.” Andrew also revealed tips on how organisers can become greener while at the same time cutting down their
costs. These include: Don’t time limit branding – this extends its life so it can be re-used. Use local suppliers and negotiate discounts as they won’t have to travel as far. If you are working inside a venue install low energy lighting. Share transport resources to reduce petrol costs. Monitor energy use – what could be turned off when not in use? However, he revealed there are some exceptions where it may be more difficult to save money but he offered alternatives to try and overcome this. He added: “There are always exceptions to the rule where things will cost more money. “Using organic food is more expensive and it may be necessary to use short or medium haul flights. “But do not be afraid to make compromises on the road to sustainability. When sourcing food, is local a better option than organic? Also consider the human costs of spending time in an airport rather than taking the train.”
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A view of the stage
Picture: Mike Burnell
Joe Pidgeon.
Picture: Ben Gold
The Beachdown Festival was created after organisers noticed a lack of festivals in the Brighton area. Now after a sell out first year, there are already plans to make the event even bigger for 2009. Christina Eccles reports.
Downs festival on the up ... ACCORDING to organiser Joe Pidgeon, it was time the Brighton area got its own festival so local people could visit an easily accessible event without having to travel further afield. The festival reached its capacity of 11,000 this year and after attracting big name acts including Fun Loving Criminals, Roisin Murphy, The Young Knives and The Magic Numbers, Joe has already decided to go for a crowd of 15,000 next year. Joe explained: “Brighton has got such a strong musical heritage but it has never had its own camping festival. We noticed a bit of a gap and created the event for people who love festivals but don’t want to have to travel for miles.” The Beachdown Festival takes place on the Sussex Downs – a designated area of outstanding
natural beauty – meaning organisers had to take extra care to protect the site. It is very different from a typical festival site as its chalk base allows rain water to drain away rather than creating a mudbath. Joe said they were very aware of having to clean up after themselves and made considerations to look after the environment including hiring environmentally friendly transport. He added: “We looked at a few options but this one stood out because of the natural layout of the site – you can’t help but be impressed with the views. “I think there are three main things which help us to stand out from the competition – the fact that it is a beautiful site, it is easy to get to especially from London and the South East and the ground never gets muddy because
the rain gets drained away. “We used Network Recycling to clean up the site and if there is litter buried in mud you can’t dig it all up so it is a lot easier to operate the clear up on a site like this.” Joe also revealed that after the success of this year’s festival, plans are already coming together for next year. “It is a big site so we will be adding more things to it such as arts trails to keep people entertained as they move from A to B. There is also a second valley which we can use to expand the event. From this year we have learned more about the site and we are now also able to build on relationships we have already established to carry on the success we have got. We sold out this year so that must mean we are doing the main things right.”
‘Keep your ideas and marketing fresh’ JOE also revealed the biggest issues facing festival organisers and the main difficulties of organising an event such as the Beachdown Festival. He added: “We chose an eclectic line up as we were up against the big bookers for other festivals. We deliberately went for groups which appeal to 25 to 40 year olds and also chose a lot of Brighton based acts on a Brighton band stage. “One of our biggest challenges was the weather because the two weeks before the event it was horrific. It was also hard work getting a licence in the first place because there has never been a festival like this in the area. The council asked a lot of questions but thankfully their worries proved groundless so next year should be easier. “Money is a big issue – finding the finance to do the events as it is a risky venture. It is tough out there and there is a lot of competition. You have to keep your ideas and marketing fresh and make sure the right people find out about you. We were very happy with how everything went this year.”
The Fun Loving Criminals were part of the festival’s diverse line up
Contractors’ list Coloursound H2 Organisation Select Security Star Events SEP Events Capital Sound Laughtons Wing and a Prayer Yes Tents
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In the final part of his festival diary, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention’s festival director Gareth Williams revealed what changes were made to improve this year’s event ...
Comfort comes at a cost FAIRPORT Convention always closes Cropredy with a marathon threehour set. By the time the band (who were as soaked as everyone else) hit the stage on Saturday night everyone on the field was ready for a party. They weren't disappointed and the icing on their cake was an unannounced guest appearance by Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant. We introduced several enhancements this year as part of our ongoing improvements to the event. On the technical front, we added an extra bay to the depth of the Prism stage and this was greatly appreciated by everyone involved in production. The change-overs between bands ran more smoothly than ever. This year, we gave ‘Big Pete' Russell from SSE a bigger say in what PA equipment and crew were supplied. The difference was obvious from the outset and I must say that I've never encountered a more ‘together’ sound crew at a festival. We hope we can get the same team again for 2009. Another innovation was a big video screen displaying the acts. The effect was stunning! The screen, the cameras and scanner van were supplied and staffed by Creative Technology London (CT London) and their chaps also benefitted from the extra space
on the stage. I'd like to thank Nev Bull who organised the video screen on our behalf. The feedback from our audience has been universally positive and I have had hundreds of emails enthusing about the screen. This year's stage lighting has also attracted a lot of praise from our audience so a big thank you to Prism and to LD Mark Jones for brightening up a very overcast Saturday. Come Sunday, the load-out for both suppliers and customers proved testing. But we have had wet Cropredys before and this was by no means the worst. The rain had softened the fields and quite a lot of people had to be towed out. Yet the smiles still held and no-one complained. I think everyone could see that we were doing everything we could to make their weekend as safe and as comfortable as possible. Comfort comes at a cost, of course. Very soon I will find out how much because our supplier Simon Hambridge will invoice me for delivering and spreading 800 tons of ironstone chippings and providing four towing tractors. Simon and his lads worked non-stop over the weekend and I dread to think what would have happened had they not been there – thanks, chaps.
The biggest pat on the back must go to our security team. MJ Events Support worked alongside the Thames Valley Police overnight teams. I am absolutely delighted that not a single overnight theft was reported to festival control, despite most of our campsites being filled to capacity. This really is an astonishingly good result and the culmination of four years of hard work and liaison between MJ Events Support and TVP. MJ Events guvnor, Marty Jones, tells me he will try to reduce the figure for next year! Now comes the bit of my job I dislike, the de-prep. It's basically sitting at the computer doing sums so that everyone gets paid as swiftly as possible. Assisted by our accountant, Mike Jervis, I will finalise accounts so we can pay the host band because Fairport Convention relies on the festival as a significant income stream. Alongside the de-prep, we are starting work on next year’s festival. It really is that simple: almost as soon as Cropredy 2008 closed its gates our thoughts turned to 2009. Tomorrow, I shall be back on site inspecting the ground with the farmer and agreeing what needs to be done by way of reparation. Actually, these fields have hosted
Gareth Williams nearly thirty festivals and have proved remarkably good at fixing themselves. Over the winter, the cattle will have a good tramp around and nature will work her healing magic – before we know it spring will be here and the regenerated pastures will await the happy horde for Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2009.
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Double Olympic gold medallist, Rebecca Adlington, arrived back in her home town to a hero’s welcome. But how was the event organised at such short notice? Lyndsey Smith reports.
Rebecca Adlington with mayor Tony Eddington
Welcome home, golden girl REBECCA arrived in Mansfield to a civic reception, held just two weeks after she won her second gold medal, leaving organisers a short time frame in which to prepare her welcome. With obvious issues such as security, health and safety, and refreshment and toilet facilities to consider, all those involved had their work cut out. Lisa Vincent, town centre events and promotions co-ordinator, Mansfield district council, said although time was limited the event went according to plan. She said: “I based preparation around the logistics used for the switching on of the Christmas lights. We didn’t know how many people to expect so all planning and preparation revolved around our festive strategy. “We knew after the first gold that Mayor Eddington would want to do something so I had made contact with Showsec, the security firm, and pre-warned them so they could begin thinking of the safety issues, but realistically we were looking at a date in September.” However after Rebecca claimed her second medal it was obvious to Lisa they would need to pull something together much sooner. “We had to prepare something for immediately she got back,” said Lisa. “My job was to come up with a safe route through the town cen-
Lisa Vincent, town centre events and promotions co-ordinator
Rebecca Adlington chats to reporters at the homecoming
tre, ending up in the market place. “I did a dummy run with the open top bus on the planned route where I had to take into account the distance from bus to barriers and overhanging wires or trees, little things, but massively important in order for the event to run smoothly. “I also liaised with the town centre operations group who control the car parks and toilets so they would stay open later, and the local shopping centre, who also extended their opening hours so we had good facilities on offer.”
“A quarter of the market stalls were removed in order to make more room, and a a stage erected with crowd barriers where Rebecca could speak to the crowd. I even sewed a huge banner to cover an empty shop unit in the square so it looked more attractive.” The council worked in conjunction with Showsec security to plan the homecoming event and area manager, Richard Church, said: “We had a late, all agency meeting the Wednesday before she returned. “The Police and other emergency
services, the council departments, and all the interested media partners worked through plans for the celebrations and the crowd management operation required. “Short notice, un-ticketed free events create new challenges to crowd managers. “The square has an audience capacity of 15,000 and our plans included contingencies to deal with any excess attendance. “A team of five qualified, SIA registered staff escorted the bus, while trained stewards manned the barriers on the route into town.”
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Teens ensure festival is a huge success By Mary Ferguson
The dates have been announced for next year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. The festival will take place from Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 August and tickets are expected to go on sale in March. The event has been held annually since 1980 on farmland adjacent to the village of Cropredy in north Oxfordshire. Picture: Fairport Convention Ltd
THIS year’s Underage Festival increased in success as well as capacity, according to the organisers. The UK’s only festival for under 18s took place at Victoria Park in London and ran on the same site the day before Field Day. Put together by Ear To The Ground, the event was attended by 7,000 teenagers, compared with 5,000 in 2007. Organiser Jon Drape said: “With kids you don’t want the site to be as busy as for many it will be their first festival experience. And we know from previous data that there is mass crowd movement between stages – people literally running from one area to another to catch the start of a different artist.” No adults were allowed in the main area unless they were working, all staff had to be CRB checked and there was enough first aid cover for 20,000 people. “We found a lot of artists wanted to bring guests but because they were over 18, they were not allowed in the main area. So we asked them to stay in the hospitality area, where there was a bar.” Searches were conducted on entry and
no drugs or alcohol was found on anyone, and there were no problems with violence. But because it was the first time Ear To The Ground worked on the event, there were some things Jon and partner Steve smith didn’t anticipate. When headliners Gallows were on stage, the band asked the crowd to run around anti-clockwise which nearly caused a health and safety issue. And the casualty rate was quite high – there were 60 injuries with nine people going to hospital – because of the sheer number of people going over the pit barriers. Jon said: “The area was well staffed but in future I’ll pull the barrier back from the stage and then return it for Field Day. I’ll also pad as much as I can behind the barrier but at the end of the day, there are only so many staff you can get in there.” To turn around the site for Field Day, stages needed re-branding and a few were removed but Jon said it was fairly straightforward, especially as the Underage Festival finished at 8pm. He added: “We still need to have a debriefing but although there are still a few things to improve on next time, this event was a huge success for us.’
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TICKETING
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Earlier this year, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee urged the secondary ticketing market to clean up its act. Now in a special report, Christina Eccles speaks to two experts in the ticketing industry to find out how organisers can help to protect festivalgoers and stop legitimate companies getting their reputations tarnished ...
Joe in ad ban call ... WEBSITES which sell fake festival tickets should not be allowed to advertise on internet search engines such as Google, according to the CEO of Seatwave.com Joe Cohen. Joe said those that deliberately mislead the public into handing money over for tickets which do not exist are committing a crime and these sites should not be confused with legitimate secondary ticketing companies. He revealed that Seatwave has attempted to highlight concerns about some ticketing websites to both DCMS and Google but nothing had been done to protect the public from these scams. He said: “We were aware of problems with SOS Master Tickets and previous companies and we have provided information to DCMS and Google. The only way these people are able to perpetuate fraud is to advertise on Google and Google should be removing them. But every time we have presented this to them they have said they haven’t had enough evidence. “There are thousands of fans who have had a great experience buying tickets so clearly there is a place for the secondary ticketing market. The secondary market is not the issue here – it is criminal fraud. “It is bad for the industry, con-
Joe Cohen sumers and online businesses generally. We have to do everything in our power to prevent these things from happening.” Joe also revealed steps which he thought organisers could take to reduce fraud at festivals. He added: “When you buy a ticket, generally they do not get posted out to until about a week before the event. If tickets were posted out sooner then the consumer could ask for their tickets and know whether they actually existed. Consumers are going to look for tickets because they want to go to an event and if someone sets up a fake website there will be some people who believe that it is real.”
Festival promoters should offer refunds on unwanted tickets FESTIVAL promoters should offer refunds for unwanted tickets to stop festivalgoers turning to touts, an expert has revealed. Richard Marks – CEO of online ticket exchange company Scarlet Mist – said less people would be likely to buy tickets from touts or get duped by fake ticketing websites if those who no longer wanted their tickets or were unable to attend the event could get refunds – meaning those tickets would then be available to be re-sold from legitimate sources. Richard said: “Promoters should provide refunds because there are a lot of reasons why some tickets fall into the hands of touts and one is because there are people who have bought tickets who cannot go to the event but cannot get a refund either. “Also when they know about touts – such as those who stand outside an event – promoters should get in touch with the Inland Revenue. The Inland Revenue should take more of an interest as there are some people who are making a good living from doing this and paying no tax. Even if
they are providing a legitimate service, which some people would argue they are, they should be paying tax.” Scarlet Mist provides a service for those who want to buy or sell tickets and after being originally set up in 2003 for Glastonbury tickets, it has expanded to include most major festivals and music events. Richard added: “We are like ebay as we allow people to buy and sell spare tickets but unlike ebay Scarlet Mist is free and people have to trade tickets at their face value. Most event tickets are sold to people as non transferable but are also non refundable and you always get people who can’t go. “The ticketing market is very obscure. It is difficult to negotiate because people do not know who they are buying from but the system conspires to that. There should be more emphasis on providing ‘on the road’ prices so people know what they are buying and exactly how much it is going to cost. It should say upfront what the ticket costs and booking fees should be part of the basic cost of buying a ticket.”
INSURANCE
Top insurance tips for event organisers AN event insurance company has revealed its top tips for organisers planning events.
event claims to have been injured. It may also help lower your insurance premium.
Hiscox Event Insurance, formally known as Insurex, said it is crucial to consider every eventuality and to plan for the unexpected when organising events.
3. Your sub-contractors will need to have their own public liability insurance, as this will be a condition of your own liability insurance policy.
To help with this, the company has issued some advice. Tips include: 1. Carry out a full risk management exercise as early as possible in the planning stages of the event, either a formal written exercise for a large event, or asking the question “what could go wrong?” and putting measures in place to minimise risks. You will never be able to completely remove risk, so consider taking out an event insurance policy for circumstances that are outside your control. 2. Clear written evidence of thorough risk management procedures will help defend you against liability claims if someone attending the
4. Remember volunteers have many of the same legal rights as full or part time employees and will need to be covered by Employers’ Liability insurance, which is mandatory under UK law. 5. Event organisers often choose to insure against cancellation or curtailment. If you wish to do so, make the decision sooner rather than later, ideally immediately after booking the venue. Insuring early covers you for a longer period of time, probably at no additional cost. Remember that insurers will not cover incidents that have already happened or are about to happen – for example adverse weather cover cannot be purchased if a severe storm is forecast imminently.
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Bad weather leads to surge in insurance policies BAD weather over the summer season has led to a surge in organisers taking out cancellation insurance policies, according to an expert. Following heavy rain both this summer and last, a number of high profile events including the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford and the Ebor Festival at York were cancelled – leading to more than £10m of lost revenue for the event organisers. However, according to Chris Rackliffe, contingency underwriter at Beazley, there are steps which organisers can take to protect their events if the worst case scenario happens. He said: “Last year was exceptional but this year has seen more than its share of bad weather. This double whammy for event organisers has meant that the market is seeing an increasing number of enquiries for cancellation cover. “Insurance should be thought about as soon as organisers start incurring any expense. It does not cost anymore to buy 12 months before the event than it does to buy three months before. “It needs to be thought about sooner rather later. The cost will only go up closer to the event, and terms may become restricted.” Chris also said that for some
Chris Rackliffe organisers cost may be an issue but there are steps which can be taken to help with this. He added: “Not all organisers budget for cancellation insurance or there may be a cashflow issue so a lot of companies make sure that they don’t have to pay all of the premium up front.” He also revealed the most important things for organisers to consider when looking for cover for their events. He added: “It depends on the type of event. One of the first things to do is find a broker that has got experience in that area and find an insurer with a reputation for being involved in major events.”
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£4m funding for new Blackpool events space Alex Salmond
Alex in festivals’ pledge FIRST minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has celebrated the role Edinburgh Festivals play in Scotland’s cultural life and pledged his support for their participation in the country’s Homecoming celebrations in 2009. Homecoming Scotland 2009 – a year long celebration of Scottish culture and heritage – has been created and timed to mark the 250th anniversary of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. Homecoming Scotland 2009 will encourage people of Scottish descent, Scots, and those who simply love Scotland to ‘come home’ in 2009 and join the celebrations. Speaking at an event for the directors of the festivals in Edinburgh, he said: “Homecoming Scotland 2009 embraces the whole nation. In Edinburgh we have a fantastic range of world class festivals and it’s great that so many of these festivals are
already gearing up for next year’s Homecoming celebrations. Every year the festivals delight and engage thousands of Scots and visitors, and in 2009 we hope the Homecoming message will encourage even more of our global family to join us, enjoy these outstanding events and celebrate Scotland’s contributions to the world.” Festival and events champion at the City of Edinburgh Council Steve Cardownie added: "Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals have huge international reach and we continually look to include new and exciting ways to entertain visitors to Scotland’s capital. By joining forces with Homecoming Scotland to stage this innovative new event for next year's Winter celebrations we can provide something totally unique and ensure the year-round festivities extend well into the winter period."
A NEW outdoor performance and events space which can accommodate up to 20,000 people is to be built in Blackpool thanks to DCMS funding worth £4m. Blackpool Council has been awarded the funding to create the Tower Festival Headland through its Sea Change programme and the project, which will be made possible through a partnership between Blackpool Council, ReBlackpool, Defra and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), will transform Blackpool’s central seafront into a year round urban park that will entertain both visitors and residents through dance, theatre, music and comedy. It will be supported by a £5.4m programme of signature events funded by the NWDA, Blackpool Council and private sponsors. Coun Maxine Callow – cabinet member of Tourism and Regeneration – said: “The Tower Headland will provide something we have never had in Blackpool before. We are currently in position that we cannot hold some major events and performances as we don’t have appropriate outdoor space available. “Not only will the headland play
host to the biggest events Blackpool has ever seen it will also provide a fantastic opportunity for community groups and schools to put on smaller performances.” Chairman of ReBlackpool Sir Howard Bernstein added: “We are extremely pleased to have been granted this funding by the DCMS which will be invested in the reinvention of the Tower Festival Headland area of Blackpool’s seafront. We are dedicated to making Blackpool a better place to live, work and play, through physical, social and economic regeneration and this is another step forward in the transformation of the town. We are determined that this first step and will lead to further investment by both private and public sectors. “The Tower Festival Headland will embrace the town’s heartland and raison d’etre, creating a festival and events zone that aims to generate excitement for both residents and visitors. An essential part of the town’s regeneration masterplan, the investment will not only provide a new entertainment zone, it will provide new commercial and employment opportunities for businesses and residents of the town.”
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An artist’s impression of the stand
Kitty Ebdon
Designing a float for the prestigious Lord Mayor’s Show in London next month is proving an interesting challenge for children’s events company Crafty Arty Parties. Christina Eccles caught up with director Kitty Ebdon to find out how plans for the event are coming along ...
Fun float with a serious message THE company was approached by the London Safety Camera Partnership to design a float with a difference for the event. The theme will be speed cameras – presenting Kitty and her team the challenge of getting across a serious message while at the same time making the float fun and decorative. The 45 foot trailer will be among 100 floats which will be on parade in London. It will have local school children on board dressed as speed cameras and traffic lights to highlight the number of deaths and injuries
caused by speeding drivers and encourage them to slow down. The historic procession is 800 years old and over three hours long. It follows a specific route around central London which is watched by about half a million people. Kitty explained: “This is a very different project for us as we have never designed a float before. “There will be a lot of big corporate companies there whose floats will be really spectacular – we have a smaller budget but still need to be seen. I think the fact we are good at set
building will allow us to come into our own as things will be hand made. “Speed cameras are quite a contentious issue which has a serious side but at the same time the float still needs to be fun.” Kitty also revealed the challenges of working on this project which Crafty Arty Parties has been involved with since the beginning of the year. There will be over 50 people on the float and because many of them will be children there are certain health and safety considerations which also
Camping first for Creamfields THIS year’s Creamfields was attended by about 65,000 people who flocked to the festival as it celebrated its 10th anniversary. Camping was introduced for the first time with 85 per cent of festivalgoers choosing to stay over and crime was also at an all time low with only seven reported incidents of theft from the campsite. Cream CEO James Barton said: “We are really happy with the success of the festi-
val this weekend. There were some delays getting customers into the campsite early on Saturday morning, but this was soon sorted out. We’ve had a really good festival, with a fantastic line up of acts and great audience which has made this our 10th Anniversary very special. And we’d like to thank everyone who came to the show.” The festival included performances from Kasabian, Fatboy Slim and Paul Oakenfold.
have to be met. Kitty added: “It has been very challenging as there are so many aspects involved in planning the float. “When you put people on a moving object there is a law governing how much space you need to have around each person so each child has to be spaced out in a certain way incase we need to evacuate them.” It is hoped that if the speed camera campaign is successful it will be rolled out nationwide – something Kitty said she would like to see the company get involved with.
Ballot allocation TICKETS for the MTV Europe Music Awards will be allocated by ballot to ensure local people do not miss out on the event. Those wanting tickets to the awards – held next month at Liverpool’s Echo Arena – can register on the awards’ website with the majority being available to people living in the UK, particularly the North West of England. MTV Europe Music Awards
executive producer Richard Godfrey said: “With the MTV Europe Music Awards being one of the main music highlights of Liverpool’s City of Culture calendar we are very keen that people from the North West of England have the greatest chance to enjoy the show live. “We plan to put on a show that they will talk about for many years to come.”
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SHOWMAN’S SHOW
Thinking about temporary access in advance ... AS we look towards winter and the dark nights, one thing that springs to mind is the excitement and sparkle that is the November 5 and Bonfire Night. With so many organised events taking place up and down the country, the UK’s leading portable roadway company, TPA, suggests you don’t leave it to the last minute before booking temporary access for your event. Everyone hopes for a beautiful clear night to show off the fireworks and bonfires to their best advantage but if a week of rain precedes your event, you are likely to have a few disgruntled visitors as they slip and slide from your temporary car parks and become entrenched in mud from over-used pathways and gates. By installing portable access, you can guarantee a safe and successful event for both your visitors and any attractions that you hire. TPA not only supplies portable roadways, temporary walkways, fencing and barriers but traffic management systems, signage and toilets via its sister company TPA Site Services. A regular exhibitor at the Showman’s Show over the last few years, TPA will once again be showcasing its products to visitors at the Newbury showground event in October. To provide visitors with ‘a little food for thought’ TPA will also be giving away free organic burgers to clients visiting its stand on the corner of Lew Spencer Avenue, opposite the organiser’s office.
Last year’s Showman’s Show
Providing a perfect shop window for suppliers THE exhibition hall at this year’s Showman’s Show will be the biggest ever – 90m long and incorporating at least 10 more stands. Over 350 exhibitors have signed up for this year’s show which is held at Newbury Showground later this month and the event – organised by Lance Show and Publications Ltd - will include both UK and overseas suppliers demon-
strating new products. A spokesman for the show revealed what visitors and exhibitors can gain from visiting the Showman’s Show. He said: “Anyone planning an event in 2009, whether it’s a private party for 50, a large corporate event for 1,000 or a festival for 1000s, should take full advantage of the wealth of industry expertise
that will be present at the Show. “The Showman’s Show provides the perfect shop window for suppliers to promote their products and services to a targeted audience whilst meeting with existing and potential new customers. Each year the organisers welcome many new exhibitors who have realised the potential benefits the show can provide them.”
SHOWMAN’S SHOW
‘Come along and say hello’
NOEA will again be manning a stand at the Showman’s Show in Newbury on October 22 and 23. Secretary John Barton said: “NOEA is manning a stand at this show for at least the fifteenth time! This is mentioned in the first ever NOEA Members’ Yearbook 1995 – come along and say hello.”
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SHOWMAN’S SHOW
Making a splash at all sorts of events Advertiser’s announcement EVENTS cater for everything and everyone; from a high school musical to Slipknot; from synchronised swimming to the Grand Prix at Silverstone; from pop music lovers to ladies from the Women’s Institute. Watermills has to deal with them all. Yet, however diverse an individual event may be whether it be a street party or a prestigious undertaking like Proms in the Park, there are common factors – the presence of masses of people being the most obvious one. And wherever there are crowds the need for both power and sanitary conditions follows. Getting this infrastructure right is not always easy and, indeed, organisers can all too easily under-rate the difficulties in providing such. Each event is different and that means that the power and water requirements are often difficult to gauge. That’s where Watermills’ experience helps. We provide fully prepared equipment that is audited in accordance with quality assured procedures and is compliant with all water quality and public health guidance regulations. This ensures the standard of water delivered to the event; but, where there is potable water, there is also waste water and effluent. Here also our experience, gained from work with water utility companies and the construction industry, proves more than useful. Indeed, we are in consul-
tation with the various statutory bodies involved and act as advisors concerning the regulations and to their practical enforcement. This diversity and uniqueness of our services are attributes that Watermills are proud of. Our versatility in approaching challenges was demonstrated this year by the range of events and festivals we provided for. We kicked off the season by supplying temporary infrastructure at the Bramham Horse Trials and continued, in one hard working weekend, to supply water and tanks to Trafford Park for the BMW Sauber F1 event, tanks, water and plumbing services for the Godiva Festival in Coventry and we installed all the plumbing and waste pipework at the Silverstone Grand Prix. During the summer we were favoured to provide and operate water tanks and pumping services to WOMAD as well as tankering water to the Game Fair at Woodstock. During the same weekend we provided emergency bottled water to the security team at the Ben and Jerry’s Festival on Clapham Common. We actually supply bottled water to quite a few security teams throughout the country – RockNess, Creamfields and Download to mention three. At the Game Fair we provided temporary reservoirs via our specialised pillow tank facilities as well as undertaking pipe-work disinfection and water quality testing – food festivals
Watermills follows regulations to ensure the quality of the water that is delivered. being a particular forte of ours as we have supplied tanks and water to such events nationwide starting with the Bradford Mela this year. In addition many street parties, exhibitions and corporate events have been comforted in the knowledge that we are providing them with quality assured potable water. Music festivals are another speciality where we furnish a complete service from supply and plumbing to monitoring and waste disposal.
Apart from WOMAD many other of the countries festivals have benefitted from our involvement – such as Beachdown, Stokes Bay, Offworld, Bloom and Proms in the Park. Year on year we are adding to our services – that’s what we like to do and are always working at. Please, if you want to know us more, drop in on our stand at the Showman’s Show because we would love to talk to you and always love to help.
SHOWMAN’S SHOW
Grundon providing full range of waste collection services FOR many years Grundon has serviced some of the most prestigious events in the UK’s social and sporting calendars, including Cartier International Polo, Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix, Henley Royal Regatta, The Championships, Wimbledon and this year for the first time, the CLA Game Fair. Operating across the south of England, the company provides the full range of waste collection and recycling services, using highly manoeuvrable waste wheeler containers, rolonofs, skips, compactors or tankers as appropriate. In particular their ‘Two Bin’ recycling system is proving very popular, resulting in a clean, simple to use and easily managed site. Mixed recyclables comprising paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles are placed in one container ready for collection and
‘In particular their ‘Two Bin’ recycling system is proving very popular, resulting in a clean, simple to use and easily managed site’ recycling, whilst a second container takes the remaining general waste. Available throughout the year including weekends, Grundon services indoor and outdoor events of every size and type, from corporate functions, exhibitions and sporting events to festivals, agricultural shows and village fetes.
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SHOWMAN’S SHOW
One of the world leaders in big screen technology ESTABLISHED in 1998 and exhibiting for the fifth year at the show, Lightmedia will this year be displaying their latest range of LED outdoor rental screens, encompassing mobile screens ranging in size from six square metres to 27 square metres. In addition we will also have on display one of our small, quick deploy, broadcast units fitted with everything you require to make your live event a runaway success. Lightmedia Displays Ltd has a first class reputation as one of the world leaders in big screen technology, for both LED screen rental and sales. We provide screens to many of the most prestigious events around the world, from the BBC’s coverage of the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, Cup of Nations in Ghana, to Live 8 and sporting events too numerous to list. Our team at the show have a wide range of experience in the live events industry.
We provide a highly professional service at the most competitive price available. To further enhance your event, we have a diverse range of advertising solutions from screen edge banners to full unit livery and a wide range of visual effects such incorporating clients logos or corporate messages on the screen, all designed to deliver impact to your event. Lightmedia offer a full range of supporting services for both our rental LED rental as well as our permanently installed screens, meaning that we can offer you a complete solution, whatever your requirements. A warm welcome awaits you at our stand at the Showman’s Show. Alternatively our website is updated regularly with the latest projects and events which we have completed, and contains a wealth of information regarding the products and services we offer.
SHOWMAN’S SHOW
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SHOWMAN’S SHOW
Tixmob worked with Summer Sundae this year.
Tixmob demonstrates the power of ‘social ticketing’ ... TIXMOB will be returning to the Showman’s Show this year, with a demonstration of how event organisers can use ‘social ticketing’ and last minute ‘mobile’ ticketing to increase visitor figures at events. As well as experiencing how Tixmob’s range of ticketing and marketing solutions work for visitors to events, event organisers will also be able to see how ‘social ticketing’ can work to increase event attendance numbers. Jacob Crawford of Tixmob said: “This year at the show we will be demonstrating the power of ‘social ticketing’ – an idea which is designed to encourage groups of friends to buy tickets together. When the group initiator buys a ticket they are given an exclusive
code which they can pass to friends to use when they buy tickets. If a pre-agreed number of tickets are then bought with that exclusive code, the original purchaser gets their ticket free or another promotional item. “This is the perfect tool for event organisers to give something back to the opinion formers who initiate an event attendance and to build a loyal customer base of proactive event goers with powerful marketing.” This summer, working with Summer Sundae, Tixmob sold £14,400 worth of tickets on the days of the event, made possible through the company’s immediate ticket delivery system which enables tickets to be sold up until the last minute before the event.
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Diary date Annual Convention and Tribute Celebration Evening 2009 The Oxford Belfry Hotel, Nr Thame, Oxfordshire Wednesday February 25 – Friday February 27 2009 Celebrating the 30th anniversary of NOEA – what will the next 30 years bring? Please make a note in your diaries NOW. Principal Event Sponsors include:- Access all areas, Capita Symonds, FTF Worldwide Event Management, Festival Fireworks, Horsey Lightly Fynn, Main Event, SRD Group, Select Security & Stewarding Ltd, Sunbaba, Sygma Safety Ltd, University of Derby, Buxton, The Whitebook 2009 and Wild Ones Event Services Topics will include:• Dealing with the current and future economic situation? • Update on the roll-out of the Cultural Olympiad • How the industry can survive, consolidate and develop in a challenging world through innovation and creativity? •Government policy and funding for the UK tourism and Events industry –what are the future local, regional and national implications? •Are we over- regulating ourselves in the UK, hampering our ability to produce events? •Global warming – is it a challenge or opportunity? •How environmentally friendly is your event? Keynote speakers include: Harvey Goldsmith CBE, legendary promoter responsible for delivering Live Aid and Live 8, David Stubbs, head of environment and sustainable development – London 2012, Michael Hirst, OBE, chairman, Business Visitors and Events Partnership, and Tobias Ellwood MP, Shadow Minister for Tourism, Licensing and Gambling. Exhibition featuring over 20 members Tribute celebration evening – includes President’s cocktail reception, five-course dinner, tribute awards, cabaret and dancing.Nominations for NOEA tribute awards– if you wish to nominate yourselves or others for any of these prestigious annual outdoor event tribute awards email NOEA now for further details. Nominated Charity –Jane's Appeal was established by the late Jane Tomlinson CBE to raise funds for children's and cancer charities. The charities that have benefited from Jane's support cover all areas including medical research, cancer treatment and specialist care. Register now for further information on the convention as follows:1) Online at www.noea.org.uk 2) Email: secretary@noea.org.uk 3) Call the registration hotline on: 07725 056 094
Busy times for NOEA
Pictured left: Michael Hirst and above, Harvey Goldsmith.
NOEA will be involved in six events in six weeks commencing October 20. These are as follows:Showman’s Show, Newbury, October 22 and 23 Local Authority Meeting Wednesday October 22 (Showman’s Show) at 11.00am. All are welcome to this informal meeting for an hour or so – if you want to attend email NOEA for further details at: secretary@noea.org.uk NOEA Party for NOEA Members only during the time of the Showman’s Show – Wednesday evening October 22 at a countryside “venue” – limited numbers – first come first served – please reserve your place(s) – maximum four per member by emailing NOEA. NOEA General Council Meeting – Thursday October 30 – Council Members only. Cardiff Regional Conference – Cardiff Castle, Wednesday November 12 – a great programme is being arranged in conjunction with Rob Corp, special events manager, Cardiff Council – please email now to register for places and further information. Leeds Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting Monday and Tuesday November 24 and 25 – a great programme including social activities and entertainment being arranged in conjunction with Sylvia McCann, event manager, Millennium Square Leeds – please email now to register for places and further information.
Association launches membership drive BY joining the Association now, you would have the benefit of a free entry on the NOEA Website: www.noea.org.uk, also regular news digests informing you about our future activities and services and in particular information about our series of Regional Conferences and the National Convention and much more. The Association publishes the NOEA Members’ Yearbook, which promotes NOEA as the outdoor events network for encouraging business to business opportunities between Members and to the world at large. NOEA has a current membership
Richard Limb, our President will be taking a break for the next seven weeks to cycle some 2,000 miles across Australia on the “Stewart’s Way” via Alice Springs. Our very best wishes go with him and he will keep us in touch with his progress – good luck Richard.
list of over 480 covering local authorities, show organisers, suppliers of equipment and services together with practitioners generally in the world of outdoor events. You should join NOEA now and have a great opportunity to take part in many of the NOEA events in the next few weeks and months and be eligible to be entered into the 2009 yearbook and website now. For a membership application form and/or a complimentary copy of the 2008 NOEA Yearbook simply contact John Barton, NOEA by email: secretary@noea.org.uk or 07725 056 094.
Revamped website back online NOEA wishes to announce that their newly-revised website has just come onstream at: www.noea.org.uk Also nomination forms for the NOEA Annual Tribute Awards have just become available – there are many new categories and everyone in
the outdoor events industry is welcome to apply for a copy of the form – there are also some unique opportunities to take up sponsorships of some of the new categories of tribute awards. Please email John Barton at: secretary@noea.org.uk
National Outdoor Events Association
The way forward for the world of Outdoor Events Want to know what is going on? VISIT WEBSITE www.noea.org.uk
Contact NOEA John Barton, Tel No: 020 8669 8121 Email: secretary@noea.org.uk
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Organisers offer car-free options THE organisers of the Leeds Festival put in place several travel options to encourage festivalgoers to leave their cars at home. Special National Express and See Coaches ran directly into the
site from all over the UK and shuttle bus services ran to and from Leeds railway station, Leeds bus station and York railway station. Visitors who did use cars were urged to consider using a lift share scheme.
Bestival reunion tour planned Award winners John and Paul Diamond
First Scottish event awards THE first Scottish Event Awards has taken place in Glasgow’s Science Centre – attended by leading venues, suppliers and production companies from across Scotland. Among the award winners was Diamond Event Services – a crew supply company for the live events industry founded by by Paul and John Diamond in 2003. The pair and younger brother Kieran have worked on events including the MTV Europe Music Awards and T in the Park and took home the awards for best event services company and the overall event services grand prix. Other award winners included: Event grand prix T in the Park Event services grand prix Diamond Event Services
Chairman’s award Swamp Soccer The green award DF Concerts – Green T Best sporting event or tournament Rare Management – 2007 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships Best small festival DF Concerts – Connect Music Highland Feast – A fusion of food, drink and highland life Commendation Best large festival Glasgow City Marketing Bureau Glasgow River Festival 2007 Commendation Material marketing and communications T in the Park
A REUNION of acts from Bestival will take place next month as part of MTV Liverpool Music week. The Bestival Reunion tour will include performances from Mystery Jets, The Presets, Kissy Sell Out ,
Sombrero Soundsystem, the Cuban Brothers and BBC Radio 1’s Rob Da Bank. MTV Liverpool Music Week includes 50 events over 16 venues, featuring over 250 live bands. Design and communications agency 2Heads has made three new appointments. Lester Batchelor has been appointed creative director and his responsibilities will be co-ordination of the in house 2D, 3D and 4D design teams. He has over 25 years design experience working across many disciplines such as events, experiential, exhibitions and live communications. Caroline Gleisner, pictured left, has been appointed live events director. Caroline has vast experience in experiential marketing, conferences, exhibitions and events and has worked for agencies such as TRO and M-is. Darren Cooke has been appointed business development director in the Dubai office. He has 12 years’ experience in senior marketing business development and marketing client side roles.
SOUND AND LIGHTING/PLASA
Music ‘not loud enough’ for some at Field Day EVENT organisers Ear To The Ground needed to address noise issues at this year’s Field Day festival, as the site doubled in size and 20,000 tickets sold out. The event, which took place for the second time at London’s Victoria Park, was criticised in 2007 for violating noise regulations. So this year, Ear To The Ground worked closely with Vanguardia and Tower Hamlets environmental health office, altering the layout of the stages to affect noise direction. Jon said: “The rules put down by Tower Hamlets are quite Draconian
and the last two events to be held here – Lovebox and a Radiohead concert – received notices of prosecution for violating regulations. In fact, Vanguardia said they are putting a proposal to Tower Hamlets for more flexible levels and conditions.” He added: “Most sound engineers and visiting artists were happy but we have had some comments from people that the music wasn’t loud enough. “We know it wasn’t as loud as everyone wanted but the only alternative is not to have the event – there’s just no way around it.”
New features added to extensive range WITH a national network of branches, Impact Products is a leading trade-only supplier of professional audio and lighting equipment. Among new features adding to Impact’s extensive choice of over 4,000 products are the Compact and Full Stadium series of Line Array systems from Brooke, between them ideal for every kind of indoor and outdoor venue. With separate subwoofers and full range “top” speakers in each range, they deliver highly directional sound whether flown or floor-stacked and come at surprisingly affordable prices. Impact is also the exclusive UK stocking distributor of US-based Chauvet lighting, whose portfolio of low energy lighting options now includes the MiNspot and MiNwash a moving head LEDs. DMX controlled and with full RGB colour mixing, they are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and are just part of a complete catalogue of lighting and effects for both venue and touring installations. For further information contact: Miles Breakwell – Tel: 01604 664572 or e-mail: mb@impact-products.co.uk
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Marketing campaign helps visitor numbers By Christina Eccles VISITOR numbers to PLASA08 grew by 11 per cent compared with 2007 figures. The 13,000 plus attendance figure (subject to ABC audit) reflects the level of visitor pre-registration as well as a growth in new and returning exhibitors to an expanded show floor. Director of events Nicola Rowland said: “The show's success was due to a combination of factors.
“ In particular a targeted marketing campaign combined with special online registration offers; a growth in exhibitor numbers; even more new product launches than in 2007; a greatly expanded educational programme; and improved visitor and exhibitor facilities. "Combined with the effort that so many exhibitors made to put on a great show, the overall event was compelling and visitors responded to that."
Cable tester launched at Plasa LAUNCHED at Plasa 2008 the AudioJoG Rack 8, is a 19inch 2u rack mount audio/lighting and digital network cable tester. A massive total of 32 test sockets Test sockets are: 3, 4 & 5 Pole XLR Male and Female 3.5mm Jack, stereo, will test mono as well 6.35mm Stereo Jack, will test mono as well Twin stereo 4.4mm Bantam, will test mono as well 4 pin Speakon, will test 2 pin as well 8 pin Speakon 8 pin DIN, will test 3 & 5 (180 o) pin as well 4 pin MINI DIN RCA Phono BNC 50 ohm RJ45 EtherCon
USB A & B 4mm “banana” The most useful cable tester you'll ever buy. Our memory option allows you to test lots of the same sort of cable automatically. Also single ended testing, use two testers (AudioJoG Rack 8 or AudioJoG Pro 8), one at each of the cable to test cables where it is not possible to bring both ends into one tester. Test results are shown at both ends. For more information visit www.cablejog.com
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As Liverpool enjoyed its year as European Capital of Culture, the events team behind it all had their hands full. In a special feature for The Main Event, Mary Ferguson reports on the trials, challenges and logistics involved in staging12 months of celebrations.
Liverpool celebrates in style ...
The giant spider
Pictures: Mark McNulty Reinaldoa Lombardi Terry Mealey
FROM giant spiders to ship races – and some of the biggest music acts in the world – the city celebrated its year in style. And behind each event were the team at Liverpool Culture Company, headed by Judith Feather. She said: “From the moment Liverpool was announced as European Capital of Culture for 2008 in 2003, the events team started preparing. “And when the city celebrated its 800th birthday with a weekend of events last August, we moved up several gears and literally have not stopped since.” Part of this year’s events programme included Liverpool Sound, the Tour of Britain Cycle Race finish and the famous Mathew Street Music Festival. “It has been a great privilege for us to deliver the 08 event programme. The experience has had enormous highs and lows – there have been some sleepless nights along the way – but we are delighted with the progress made in terms of repositioning Liverpool as a major European city.
“And in respect of the vast numbers of people who have and who are coming to Liverpool to see or participate in the events, we are extremely proud of the excellent safety record we have maintained. The people of Liverpool have also regained their civic pride in seeing the successful and safe delivery of so many events.” Judith said the biggest challenge they faced across the whole of the events programme was funding. And because a lot of the city was undergoing regeneration work, at times it caused issues over locations and planning. “The tall ships race was probably our most successful event in terms of scale as it involved coordinating 42 different agencies, over three years of planning and handling nearly a million people for the four day event. “Any events person is always over critical and wants to improve or change things post event. We are our own worse critics and as a team we are always looking at ways to improve the events, but in general we are very pleased with how they have all been delivered.”
The year’s hectic events calendar gave Judith and her team, pictured above, the chance to develop as people and event professionals and also taught them valuable lessons about teamwork. She added: ‘The whole of Liverpool played a part in delivering the events, and we are grateful to the residents who turned out in their hundreds of thousands to support and make the 08 event programme as successful as it undoubtedly is.” The team have already won six accolades for past events and will be submitting applications relating to the 2008 major events for a number of awards.
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Ex-Beatle returns to native city Over a million people turned up to see the ships set sail
Wave of approval for Tall Ships event THE Tall Ships’ Races visit to Liverpool – the centrepiece of the year-long celebrations – presented a logistical challenge for organisers. The Liverpool Culture Company (LCC) were backed up by maritime event production experts Richmond Event Management (REM), to coordinate a weekend of celebrations before the vessels departed for the race to Norway. An estimated one million people visited the 60 tall ships moored at Liverpool’s docks and took part in the celebrations. LCC commissioned REM to assist with the event in January, and managing director Mike Richmond was appointed project manager, with responsibility for operational logistics and land-based events structure for the festival.
The event took place over three Liverpool sites – the Albert Dock, Wellington Dock and Princess Parade. And as well as land-based disciplines such as traffic management, emergency services liaison and safe ingress/egress, organisers had to take factors such as tide times, harbour regulations and maritime traffic into account. The event had a team of up to 600 people in place, responsible for ensuring the entertainment and exhibitions ran to plan. Mike said: “My role was to match the event requirements on the land with the schedule of the waterbased attractions. “It was a huge team effort. The water-based authorities managed the highly intricate logistics in a
most commendable manner, while working with Liverpool Culture Company was a joy. “Although they are a small team, they maintained their confidence in their ability to deliver the event throughout even the busiest periods and made my time in Liverpool enjoyable and rewarding.” Judith Feather of LCC added: “Liverpool was delighted that Mike Richmond personally opted to join the Liverpool Culture Company on a part time basis. “Our combined knowledge, using agreed systems, ensured that the one million people who visited Liverpool over the four days to visit the ships and watch the magnificent Parade of Sail enjoyed a safe and enjoyable experience.“
PAUL McCartney returned to his native city to headline The Liverpool Sound concert in June, one of the main events in the 2008 programme. Almost 38,000 people gathered at Anfield, the home of Liverpool Football Club, for the only global event ever to be staged there. The ex-Beatles star was joined by The Zutons, Kaiser chiefs and Dave Groll of the Foo Fighters, and the concert attracted national and international television coverage. Event manager Susan Lees said: “Anfield is a football stadium, not purpose built for concerts, so it meant we had to make some alterations and additions. “One of the biggest challenges was getting 12,000 people on a pitch designed for 22 people, but the team working on the project designed a crowd management system that enabled people to enter the stadium and use the pitch in the most efficient way.” The Liverpool skyline and 20-foot illuminated letters of ‘Liverpool’ provided the backdrop for the stage set, and licensing enforcement officers from Merseyside Police helped identify suspected ticket forgeries or touts on the day. Susan added: “This proved very effective, especially as we were able to produce tickets that proved very difficult to forge. “With the concerted efforts of all the contractors and staff working on this event, any challenges were overcome to produce a truly spectacular concert.”
On the right wavelength WITH Liverpool City Council, National Radio Bank has worked very closely in the planning of radio systems which were able to support city wide events such as the Tall Ships, Mathew Street Festival and La Machine organised as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations. The ability to give handportable coverage across the city from the airport to the football stadia and over the Mersey to the Wirral was of prime importance, independently supporting up to three events simultaneously over many user groups with call logging and voice recording proved invaluable. NRB opted for a trunked radio system with the same capacity that they
normally hire to events such as the Champions League Final, ensuring that city wide instant communications could be achieved for many hundreds of radio users. The company also developed a radio based PA system that allowed PA speakers at either static or mobile points to be activated individually, as a zone or citywide to give unified crowd control messages by the event managers based anywhere in the city. In addition NRB also supplied CCTV systems across the city allowing crowd flow to be viewed remotely at multiple event controls both over 300mbps wireless links and the internet, ensuring high quality images were available instantly.
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TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT
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In our latest feature charting the progress of an Associate at the Showsec Academy, The Main Event sees Emmalene Charlton test her crowd management theory at one of the wettest festivals of the summer.
Smiling through the rain THE practical security and crowd management challenges presented by a rain-drenched festival underlined the need for pre-planning and the activation of rehearsed contingencies to Emmalene Charlton, as she shadowed her Showsec management colleagues at Bestival in September. In spite of the wet, muddy conditions at the event’s Robin Hill site on the Isle of Wight, the Showsec team showed dedication and professionalism, working incessantly to look after the welfare and safety of the audiences and production areas. The additional challenges posed by the extreme weather were top of Showsec’s priority list and Emmalene, in conjunction with safety and projects manager Phil Cobourne, was tasked with a range of health and safety challenges. Emmalene said: “It was really beneficial to see the Showsec event security management structure at work at all three strategic, tactical and operational levels. “At the strategic level, shadowing Steve Reynolds, Showsec’s head of security, I saw how client relations and advanced planning are managed. I was reassured by how relaxed the relationships are between Showsec and the client. There’s trust on both levels. If the client wants something, we will try to find a way to deliver. If we can’t, the relationship is strong enough to say, ‘No, but we will try this.’ It’s typical of the way Showsec consults with and advises its clients.” At the next layer of responsibility, Emmalene saw the tactical staff at work: supervisors and site co-ordi-
Emmalene Charlton nators, overseeing areas such as camp sites, entertainment sectors and off-site areas. She added: “The personnel at this level are highly communicative. They are constantly bouncing ideas off each other, adapting to the changing needs of an event and redeploying team members to meet the ever-changing challenges of the event in the most effective way. “At the operational level, I wit-
nessed how the training of every staff member had a direct bearing on the service they were offering to the clients, many of whom needed extra care and attention in the wet weather. “This might have involved keeping an eye out for audience members suffering cold-related illnesses such as hypothermia, or directing them through the least muddy areas of the site to the facilities they needed.”
Mike’s new Merlin business development manager MIKE Hynes has joined Merlin Events as new business development manager. He will be responsible for sales
across Merlin’s unique venues, Madame Tussauds, London Aquarium, Thorpe Park, London Dungeon and Chessington World of
Adventures and Zoo. Mike was previously new business development at The Ultimate Event Company.
Farnborough International Venue and Events has a new sales manager, Barbara Crow. Barbara joins FIVE from Sandown Park Racecourse where she was head of events sales for over four years. After starting her event career in an exhibition organising role over 20 years ago, Barbara moved into venue management at the Barbican Centre and subsequently Wembley. She moved across into venue sales at Sandown Park, leaving there to join ExCeL, before returning to Sandown Park four years later. Barbara said: “I am extremely excited by the great opportunity FIVE creates for event organisers looking for a purpose built, clean event space in an area so well placed for hotels and easy road access within the M4/M3 corridor.”
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