Main Event April 2011

Issue 48 April 2011 £4.75

Manager quitsamid securityfirm claimsBy Christina Eccles

A COUNCIL’S events manager has quither job following an investigation intoan alleged conflict of interest becauseof her links with a security firm whichlanded several council contracts.

Sylvia McCann was employed byLeeds Council and had managed highprofile events such as Leeds’ Party inthe Park and the Jane Tomlinson RunFor All Leeds 10k.

But an investigation was launchedafter it emerged a security company sheco-owns had secured contracts to workon some of the council-organisedevents.

The Main Event has learned Sylvia is a50 per cent shareholder and director ofHorsforth-based Controlled Space, theother shareholder being Steven ArthurJohnson.

Neither Sylvia nor Leeds City Councilhave been prepared to discuss theinvestigation and in a brief statement,the council confirmed she had left herpost at the end of March.

It also claimed she had never beensuspended from her role and the deci-sion she should leave was taken ‘bymutual consent’.

The statement added: “A settlementsatisfactory to both parties was agreedand it is a term of the settlement thatno further comment be made.”

It is understood she had made nosecret of her ownership of ControlledSpace with her council bosses and wasadamant she had played no part in anyof the contract tendering processes thatinvolved her company.

She took on the event manager’s rolein 2004 after the management ofMillennium Square, its facilities andcity centre events merged with the for-mer general events section to createone bigger team.

She is also a former National OutdoorEvents Association council member.

She had worked for the authority formore than 15 years but it is understoodshe had been on long-term sick leaveprior to the investigation being con-cluded.

Over the last few years, the council’sevents programme has gone fromstrength to strength and the 2010 Partyin the Park was the busiest ever with 30acts including Dizzee Rascal, AlexandraBurke, Pixie Lott, The Script and TheSaturdays taking to the stage.

Ideas forbeatingeconomicdownturnFESTIVAL organisershave been urged to findnew ways of generatingrevenue at their events tohelp them cope in a diffi-cult climate.

At a conference inLeeds advising how festivals can find ways tobeat the economic downturn, a panel ofsome of the UK’s mostrespected organisersrevealed alternative waysto make money atevents.

The session – organisedby the team behind thesuccessful UK FestivalAwards and Conferencein London – includedthoughts from the man-aging director of TheGreen Man Festival FionaStewart, CEO of theCream Group JamesBarton and director ofthe Evolution FestivalJim Mawdsley.

Up for discussion wereareas such as ticket pricing, sponsorship,merchandising and thebenefits of running afringe event.

� See inside for morenews from the confer-ence.

A popular Swansea sporting venue will providethe backdrop for Rod Stewart’s only Welshconcert date of 2011. He will perform at theLiberty Stadium – home of Swansea Football Cluband the Ospreys Rugby Team – on June 1. Generalmanager Andrew Davies said: “It has been fouryears since Rod played Cardiff in front of apacked Millennium Stadium and we are lookingforward to welcoming music fans of all ages to hisfirst show in Swansea.”

02 -Arnold 15/4/11 12:07 Page 1

3

EDITORIALGroup EditorAndrew HarrodTel: 01226 [email protected]

Reporters:

Christina Eccles ([email protected])

Louise Cordell ([email protected])

Dominic Musgrave ([email protected])

ADVERTISINGNational Field Sales Manager:Chris LaffeyTel: 01226 734484Mobile: 07825 806 770Email: [email protected]

Sales Executive:Mandy MellorTel: 01226 734702Mobile: 07540 283 269Email: [email protected]

Sales and Marketing Director:Tony Barry Email: [email protected]

CIRCULATIONKelly TarffTel: 01226 734695email: [email protected]

PRODUCTIONStudio Manager:Stewart Holt ([email protected])Tel: 01226 734414

Group Deputy Editor:Judith Halkerston ([email protected])Tel: 01226 734458

Graphic designer:Kyle Wilkinson ([email protected])Tel: 01226 734711

CONTACTS

www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk

Festival Finales Page 10

V Festivalheadliners

unveiledPage 4

Training&Education Page 11

Conferences&Venues Page 12Screen Hire Pages 13-16Classified Pages 18-19

Localauthorityspotlightand news

Pages 8&9

Ian helps kick offnew resort guideBLACKPOOL FC manager IanHolloway has helped visitBlackpoollaunch a new guide showcasing theresort’s conference and meetingsvenues.

The 65-page directory, which isbeing mailed to over 500 senior con-ference and exhibition decisionmakers in the UK and Ireland, placesa high emphasis on the substantialamount of investment that has goneinto the resort in recent years andthe subsequent changes and regen-eration it has enjoyed as a result.

Key locations being promotedinclude the recently restored WinterGardens, Blackpool Tower Ballroom,the Pleasure Beach Resort andBlackpool Zoo, as well as some ofBlackpool’s leading business hotels.

visitBlackpool’s business tourismmanager Mandy Tythe-McCallumsaid: “It’s great that Ian Holloway andthe club have got behind the newbusiness destination guide as theyare one of the town’s key assets interms of building the resort’s profile,bringing in new corporate visitorsand giving people a flavour ofBlackpool’s unique personality.

“But just as Ian and the club can-not rest on their laurels and assumetheir place in top flight football,Blackpool also has to evolve andcontinually improve its businesstourism offer. This is already hap-pening through working in partner-ship with venues, more investmentin the town’s infrastructure and thedevelopment of a brand positioning

that reflects Blackpool as a top UKconference and meeting destination.

“And while it’s fantastic to haveworld beating venues like The WinterGardens and Tower Ballroom avail-able as part of our offer, we also

want to emphasise the new spacesand places that are being createdthroughout the resort that have beenspecifically designed to meet thechanging needs of modern busi-ness.”

Ian Holloway

Harbour Festival looks for more partnersBRISTOL Harbour Festival is cele-brating its 40th anniversary byopening its doors to selected brandsto produce experiential campaignsat this year’s event.

The festival attracts audiences ofover 250,000 people each year andis split into various zones, which

each have a specific target demo-graphic and ethos.

Sponsorship manager David Pynesaid: “Given the creative nature ofthe festival we have worked withpartners in the past to create some-thing that would suit their brandfrom sponsoring a pirate ship

through to providing free dance les-sons to every visitor to the dancearea to promote dancing for healthreasons.

“We want to open the doors tomore partners to come up with cre-ative ideas which compliment thefestival and its huge audience.”

To keep up with the latest event industry news visit our website www.themaineventmagazine.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @TheMainEventmag

03 12/4/11 15:02 Page 1

2 4

This year’s V Festival headliners have been revealed – with Rihanna, Eminem andArctic Monkeys topping the bill. The festival takes place over two sites – one inChelmsford and the other in Staffordshire – and acts play both legs over the week-end in August.

TicketingchallengesrevealedBy Christina Eccles

SOME of the UK’s most respected fes-tival organisers have revealed thechallenges they face around ticketingat their events.

At a dedicated festival conference inLeeds, a panel of experts includingCreamfields’ James Barton and FionaStewart from The Green Man Festivaltold delegates how they deal withpricing their event and why therecession has affected them – bothpositively and negatively.

James said: “Being a festival thatwas raised in Liverpool and still sellsmost of its tickets in the North West,pricing has always been at the fore-front for us. The majority of our audi-ence is age 18-22 and not that well off– they may save up for months tohave the best possible experience.”

When the recession hit in 2008 thefestival decided to take a risky gam-ble and drop ticket prices. Ticketswent on sale for £15 cheaper andorganisers also introduced a campingticket for £100.

James added: “We spent monthsagonising over it and whether doingit would affect confidence in theevent but I still kept coming back tothe same thing – a cheaper ticket is acheaper ticket. The end result wasthat we sold the festival out for thefirst time in eight years.

“There will always be people whocan afford the VIP experience but weshould also be mindful of the kidswho can only afford £100 for theweekend. We feel it’s really importantto have pricing around that level.”

At The Green Man Festival, empha-sis is placed on offering a value formoney experience and festivalgoerscan extend their stay by purchasing aholiday ticket which allows them tostay on site for seven days.

Fiona added: “We were wary aboutticket amounts and the idea of per-ception spend. People will pay if theythink it is a fair price and they goingto get value for money.

“Holiday tickets costs about £40more and people can come for sevendays if they wish. I liked the idea offamilies bringing the kids along andhaving a cheap holiday.

“We didn’t do it to make money outof it. We are encouraging people toleave the festival site and eat else-where so it is not the most financiallyviable thing to do. But it is a massivemessage for the brand and peoplereally appreciate it. And the localslove it because it really stimulates theeconomy.”� James and Fiona were speaking atthe City Sessions event in Leeds –part of a series of regional seminarsorganised by the team behind the UKFestival Conference and Awards.

THE winners of this year’s NOEAAwards have been revealed at theassociation’s annual convention inBirmingham.

The awards celebrate the creativity,skill and outstanding achievementsof events industry professionals andwere decided by a panel of fourindustry judges.

The winners were:

� Event Innovation of the year – TheChill Tent

� The Friendly Event of the year –Clapham Car free Day

� Venue of the year – Battersea PowerStation

� Small Event of the Year – GwylGardd Goll Vaynol Estate Bangor

� Production Partnership – BBCRadio One and Cyngor GwyneddCouncil

� Best Practice Award – AP Security

� Organiser of the year – SteveCunningham, 20-20 Events

� Event of the year – WRG,The Pope’svisit

� Event Supplier of the year – Lion

Trackhire

� NOEA Scotland Award – PedalScotland

� The Judges’ Award – Life of the

Mesolithic

� The President’s Award – Tim Owen

The event took place at The HolidayInn, Birmingham Airport and was

attended by over 100 delegates whowere entertained by mind reader AlexCrowe before the winners wereunveiled.

Winners named at industry award ceremony

Best practice award winners AP Security

Westlife heads for the woodlandsCHART topping boyband Westlife will perform this summer at two of the Forestry Commission’smost spectacular woodland locations.

The band will appear at ThetfordForest and Westonbirt Arboretum inJuly, with money generated from tick-et sales directly benefiting thenation’s woodlands.

04 12/4/11 15:03 Page 1

5

A SPECTACULAR outdoor eventattracted 12,000 people to Leedslandmark Kirkstall Abbey – including2,000 locals who signed up to takepart.

Frankenstein’s Wedding Live inLeeds was produced by the BBC,working in partnership with LeedsCity Council, Marketing Leeds andtourism agency Welcome to York-shire. The live show’s cast includedEastEnders’ actress Lacey Turner andincluded a wedding dance led by acast of 2,000 participants from theLeeds area.

The show was also simultaneouslybroadcast on BBC Three – allowingaudiences all over the country to seewhat Leeds has to offer as a tourist

destination and as a city capable ofhosting major events.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s head ofcommunications Dee Marshall saidthat after organising similar large-scale projects in Manchester and Liv-erpool, the BBC was looking forsomewhere to host this event andafter visiting several venues, decidedKirkstall Abbey fitted the bill perfect-ly. But the project was not without itschallenges, as Dee explained: “Thebiggest challenge was the size andambition of the project – 12,000 peo-ple were attending, the abbey had tobe turned into a film set and we hadto get the audience to participate.The biggest anxieties for us was whatwas the weather going to be like,

would people turn up and were theygoing to dance and be a part of it.”

Fortunately, any sign of bad weath-er held off and visitors turned up intheir thousands, with early estimatessuggesting they spent about half amillion pounds during the weekendon things such as food and drink,shopping and accommodation.

Dee added that events play animportant role in attracting visitors toYorkshire and that Welcome toYorkshire was keen to work with theBBC on any similar projects in thefuture and also with other organisersstaging events benefiting the localeconomy and driving up visitor num-bers.

Abbey attracts 12,000 for showPicture courtesy of BBC/Matt Squire

Club to drawbig namesLIZ Hobbs Group has entered a five-year deal with Ross County FC tobring some of music's biggest namesto the club’s Victoria Park stadium.

The company played a key role inthe success of a Rod Stewart concertin the Highlands last year, but thelong-term deal with Ross County is itsfirst in Scotland.

Ross County chairman RoyMacGregor, said: “This is an excitingnew development for the club.

“It’s great to be able to offer peoplein this area the chance to see bigname acts appearing at a local venue.For us, it also represents an importantnew opportunity to use the ground inthe summer months, to generateadditional income to help fund full-time football, youth development andall our community activities.”

Luxury campingat Kendal CallingTHIS year’s Kendal Calling willinclude a new luxury camping area,organisers have revealed.

The Lodge will feature a range ofaccommodation from campervans topop up hotel rooms and tipis.Festivalgoers choosing to camp there will also get a goody bag,clean, monitored toilets and showers, free parking in a private carpark and access to the backstageGreen Room Bar.

The MOBO Awards arereturning to Glasgow as partof a three year deal for theScottish city to host the ceremony in 2011, 2013 and2015.This year’s event will takeplace on October 5 at theSECC after a deal was struckbetween MOBO,EventScotland and GlasgowCity Marketing Bureau following the success of the2009 event in Glasgow.From 2013, the star-studdedevening will be held in thenew Scottish National Arenaadjacent to the SECC.Picture: Kanya King andAlesha Dixon

05 12/4/11 15:03 Page 1

2 6

By Andy Cotton

THE date was March 31 2011 whenin a briefing by a civil servant fromthe Government OlympicExecutive, industry colleagues weretold the closing date was March 312011!

What for some of you may ask?Well, it’s to add your events for2012 to The LECC (The LondonEvents Coordination Calendar) andthe LOCOG (The LondonOrganising Committee of theOlympic Games) run UK Calendar.

These calendars will be used bythe boroughs, emergency services,transport and health departmentsto ensure that the resources neededfor the planned events will be avail-able, and to identify any potentialpressure points; which seems tomake sense.

But (and there is always a ‘but’),the comment from the governmentrepresentative was: “Engagementwith both calendars will give eventsthe best chance of going ahead.”

I therefore have to ask is the gov-ernment or LOCOG, and lets notforget LOCOG is a private companywhich the government has little orno control over; intending tochange the Licensing Act 2003 tofacilitate these calendars?

Unless I have been in a coma,refusal of licences to run events inEngland is under four clearlydefined licensing objectives, andone of them was not if it doesn’tsuit the timing of the Olympics.

There is obviously going to be astrain on the emergency servicesand our normal events infrastruc-ture due to the games, but if thesecalendars are in place should wenot have been told of them, andwho manages them and advises onthem? Surely not a private compa-ny like LOCOG with their ownagendas? And if resources are insuch short supply should LondonMayor Boris Johnson be encourag-ing numerous street parties duringthis period?

There is also the question of com-mercial confidentiality; the UK cal-endar is run by LOCOG, a privatecommercial organisation, and theLECC is run by the GLA; this I amsure will also have to be sharedwith LOCOG. The documents willbe public record, therefore, there isthe potential for information get-ting to competing companies earli-er than some people may like.

The whole thing however is aca-demic as the closing date for addi-tion to the calendars has been andgone – but as an industry weshould be aware that they exist andwho has control of them. We needto be aware that resources fromhealth services, emergency servicesand local authorities will bestretched and the more time wegive them the better, as we need toprotect our annual clients whohave supported this industry formany years and will do for years tocome.

I sincerely support the idea ofpre-planning and helping our col-leagues from the public sector inthis time of government cuts andthe upcoming resourcing pressuresof the Olympics, what I don’t sup-port is that one event, howeverlarge, can dictate to other eventshowever small, when the largeevent will probably not benefit theUK events industry as much as it isbeing hyped to do so.

With the 2012 Olympics rapidly approaching, Andy Cottonexplores why one date in particular could prove vital for theindustry ...

A date we shouldhave been told about

Andy Cotton SCRAPPING the traditional idea ofone company paying a large amountto become a festival’s headline spon-sor may seem like an unusual idea,particularly now when every pennycounts.

But delegates at the conferenceheard how the decision paid off forone of the country’s biggest outdoorevents.

The Bristol International BalloonFiesta takes place in the city everyyear, attracting up to 500,000 peopleeach time. But when current organis-ers Richmond Event Managementtook over the running of the show,they decided it was time for a change– starting with the traditional pack-ages for local businesses and the‘tired’ exhibitor and catering offer.

Instead of one company paying forheadline sponsorship, REM createdthe 100 Club, which gave 100 localbusinesses the chance to be a part ofthe festival. The 100 companies werealso entered into a prize draw whereone lucky name was drawn out andgiven the chance to become headlinesponsor.

Managing director Mike Richmondexplained: “We are only allowed tospend what we have generated so thechallenge when we started was thatthere were no reserves in the pot.There was an annual deficit of about£25,000 and a tired catering and exhi-bition offer – people were feelingdespondent about entering.

“We reviewed the historical offer forbusinesses and threw it in the bin.

Getting the most out of your events in today’s tough economicclimate was the topic of a conference at Sheffield HallamUniversity. Christina Eccles went along.

The speakers

Sponsor decisionpays off for fiesta

THE heads of health and safety fortwo of the UK’s biggest spectacles will raise awareness of the meticulous health and safety planning needed for major events, at a conference in Sunderland thisJuly.

Before the Aftermath – IOSH’s Tyneand Wear Branch Conference 2011runs on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6July.

This conference is a must for anyorganisation that deals with the planning and development of projects that involve the health andsafety of both contractors and thepublic.

It will also raise awareness of theroot causes of bad practice that canunknowingly creep in over timewhich could develop into a publictragedy.

Speakers include:

� Paul Verrico, solicitor advocate,Eversheds

� Subash Ludhra, IOSH presidentelect

� Lawrence Waterman, head ofhealth and safety, Olympic DeliveryAuthority

� Tim Roberts, head of health andsafety, Glastonbury Festival

� Pam Waldron, head of operations

for Health and Safety Executive'sField Operations Directorate in theNorth East

� Neil Malkin, senior investigatingofficer – 'Dreamscape' incident,Durham Constabulary

For further information on this spe-cial event, please visit:

http://www.iosh.co.uk/branches/tyne_and_wear/branch_events/before_the_aftermath.aspx or contact ClaireDavis on [email protected] or0116 257 3373

You can also contact Claire if youare interested in exhibiting at thistwo-day event.

Then we reviewed the exhibitor andcatering offer and made the revenuesources feel wanted. The event need-ed a focal point for all regional busi-nesses where they could mingle.

“So we created The 100 Club, whichwas an opportunity for businesses tohave an affiliation with the event.Each sponsor paid £2,000 and wasentered into a draw to be the head-line sponsor. We had 100 local busi-nesses all paying £2,000. The firstprize was the title sponsorship andthe second prize was sponsorship oftwo glow nights.”

Mike revealed that the success ofthis offering meant that for every £1spent on the event, it generated £26net value to the local economy.

He added that in a challenging cli-mate, taking this new approach withthe event worked out well, and thatorganisers of other events could alsobenefit from doing something differ-ent to boost business.

He added: “I started in this industrybecause I thought it would be funand I’ve never lost that ethos.

You should never lose that feeling offun, but it is quite clear that we are inchallenging times, and we have got tolook at new initiatives and ideas.”

Another speaker at the event wasVanessa Toulmin, creative producerfor Showzam: Blackpool's Festival ofCircus Magic and New Variety.

Her work on the festival has centredaround changing the stereotypicalview of Blackpool, bringing in a newaudience to the resort through thestaging of events and at a differenttime of year to the traditional touristseason. The creation of the Showzam!festival – which takes place overFebruary half term – achieved theseobjectives and is going from strengthto strength – but Vanessa told dele-gates that it hasn’t always been easy.

She said: “My work was aboutchanging perceptions of the resortwith a remit to bring a very differentaudience to Blackpool.”

With 22,000 theatre seats to sell anight as well as variety venues suchas the pier and Pleasure Beach, therewas plenty of scope to programmeacts and Vanessa has set about bring-ing the best of the variety world toperform at the event.

She added: “The current climategives more enjoyment because it ismore challenging. ‘The flash bringsthe cash’ so you have to present yourevent in the right way.”

Conference to focus on health and safety

06 15/4/11 12:07 Page 1

7

Scottish concert and events promoter CK Events has commissioned two new summer shows, headlined by Boyzone.The band will play gigs in August at Hopetoun House near Edinburgh and Northern Meeting Park in Inverness, supported by TheSaturdays and X Factor winner Shayne Ward.

Festivals abroadmust appeal tothe locals tooBy Christina Eccles

THE key to organising successfulinternational events is to ensure thefestival is appealing to locals ratherthan just an event for English peopleabroad, it has been claimed.

Mark Newton is one of the foundersof Electronic Music Group and isworking on a new festival in Croatiawith promoters The WarehouseProject. The Hideout Festival takesplace in July on the Island of Pag andaims to showcase the best of the elec-tronic music world.

It was developed after Mark and theteam noticed a gap in the market andbuilding on experience gained fromorganising similar events in the UKand Ibiza, took the concept toCroatia.

The festival has received great sup-port from the local tourist board,council and neighbouring business-es, which Mark said has helped themgreatly in pulling it together.

He explained: “We noticed a gap inthe market for certain music genres

that had not been capitalised on. TheIbiza formula is getting a bit tired andwe saw potential in the EasternEuropean market.

“With Croatia being such an emerg-ing market the tourist board andcouncil have been really supportivetowards the idea.

But he added any other organisersthinking of setting up projects abroadshould think about the nature of theirevent to make sure it suits that loca-tion, can benefit the area and appealsto the people who live there.

He added: “There are opportunitiesfor organisers as so many new mar-kets are opening up. But the key thingfor us was not just to do an event forEnglish people in Croatia. It has to bean event for everybody and we havebooked artistes with that in mind.

“Luckily for us everybody has beenreally supportive and the feedback sofar has been great.”

It is hoped that the festival willbecome and annual event and organ-isers are already thinking ahead tonext year.

THE San Francisco 49ers enlisted Integrated SecurityConsultants to ensure the safety of its high-profilevisiting cheerleading squad during their recent UKvisit.

In conjunction with the NFL’s annual InternationalSeries game at Wembley Stadium, the prestigious“Gold Rush” cheerleading squad flew to the UK aheadof the main game to set the atmosphere and kickstart festivities.

And ISC was selected to provide all security andclose protection needs.

ISC’s Tony Wright said: “The current security statein London coupled with the sheer number of loca-tions and movement of the squad presented a poten-tial security nightmare.

“Thorough forward planning and carefully pre-planned procedures meant we were well prepared forany situation that could potentially arise.”

Safety moves

Final line-uprevealedTHE final line up has been revealedfor the Hampton Court PalaceFestival – with acts performingincluding Westlife, Brian May andThe Australian Pink Floyd.

Alfie Boe will headline the FestivalFinale and Fireworks and will bejoined by soprano Natasha Marshand the Royal Philharmonic ConcertOrchestra.

The festival is known for its inti-mate atmosphere, with artists per-forming in the main courtyard of thepalace in front of an audience of3,000.

Tattoo welcomesX Factor winnerVISITORS to this year’s RoyalInternational Air Tattoo will be able to enjoy a performance from X Factor winner Alex-andra Burke, organisers haverevealed.

The event takes place at RAFFairford in Gloucestershire in July andis Europe’s largest airshow – attractingmore than 250 aircraft from aroundthe world.

07 12/4/11 15:04 Page 1

2 8 LOCAL AUTHORITY NEWS

How local authority helped Jim along ...THE organiser of a successful NorthEast festival has told how localauthority support has proved invalu-able in a tough climate.

The Evolution Festival takes placeover the end of May bank holidayweekend and this year has signed upthe likes of Tinie Tempah, Plan B and Example to perform for crowds at three sites inNewcastleGateshead.

Speaking at the City Sessions eventin Leeds, Jim Mawdsley told dele-gates about the importance of work-ing closely with local authorities

when putting on an event and howgaining their support – whetherfinancially or on issues such as usingcouncil land – can make a big differ-ence.

He explained: “We have had a lot ofsupport from the local authorities –and we don’t have to pay a land fee.

“Get as much support from thelocal authorities as you can and findout what services they can give you.”

He added that when looking forsupport from local authorities orpotential sponsorship, it is also

important to evaluate your event so you can prove to others thebenefits it can bring into a local area, giving them a reason to supportyou.

He added: “The festival generatesan additional spend of £3.2m to thelocal area. Also the Baltic Centre is onour site and they get more visits overthe festival weekend than any otherweekend of the year. Bar operatorsalso report record takings.

“But you need to get hold of therecords and figures.”

Also speaking at the event wasJames Barton from North West musicfestival Creamfields, who agreed with Jim about the importance ofmeasuring the economic impact ofevents.

He added: “You need to demon-strate the extra spend from your audience. There will always beopposition to what you are doing andan economic impact study can bereally useful. It gives a balance tosome of the stories local people maywant to present at licensing meet-ings.”

WEST Cheshire and ChesterCouncil chose PennineEvents to put on a success-ful cycling event in Chester.

Cycle Sunday providedcyclists with a chance totake on either a four mile oreight mile guided ride – aswell as experience exhibi-tions and displays.

The event exceeded expec-tations of turnout, with thefour guided rides reachingcapacity with 300 riders.

Leah Sandamas ofPennine Events said: “Wenever expected so many rid-ers, up until Friday we onlyhad one ride full so to fill allthree other rides was fan-tastic.

“It is great sign of howmuch cycling has grown inthe last few years withinChester and with manypeople complimenting theevent delivery team on sucha fabulous day.”

THIS year’s Mouth of the Tyne Festival willhave even more to offer visitors afterorganisers decided to introduce an extraevening of entertainment.

The Friday concert will include headlineperformances from Beverley Knight, pic-tured right, and X Factor winner AlexandraBurke and takes place against the back-drop of Tynemouth Priory and Castle.

The event is organised by North TynesideCouncil and according to festival director,Steve Bishop, adding another concert willbe the perfect way for organisers to tapinto a new crowd.

He said: “We’re thrilled to add an extraevening concert to the line-up for thisyear’s Mouth of the Tyne Festival. It willbring a whole new dimension to the eventand will help us reach out to a much wideraudience, ensuring that there is somethingfor everyone.”

The popular Saturday evening concertwill also return this year – with a headlineperformance from chart topping bandScouting for Girls.

Steve added: "Securing high calibremusic acts for a fourth consecutive year istestament to the event establishing itselfas one of the North's favourite summerfestivals. Adding the Friday concert willhelp us to meet public demand and con-tinue the event’s year-on-year growth.

“We will soon be announcing details ofthe Sunday afternoon line-up which willalso take place in the stunning surround-ings of Tynemouth Priory and Castle.”

� How are plans going for your event thisyear? Have you made any changes toimprove the visitor experience? Let TheMain Event know by contacting our edito-rial team on 01226 734463 or email yournews to [email protected]

Organisers optfor extra evening

Turnout exceedsevent team’sexpectations ...

08 12/4/11 15:05 Page 1

LOCAL AUTHORITY SPOTLIGHT 9

The opening of amajor new art galleryand one of thecountry’s top foodfestivals are just twoexamples of projectsputting Wakefield onthe map as adestination for majorevents. ChristinaEccles paid a visit.

THE Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink andRhubarb is one of the first major events in thefood festival calendar and celebrates the city’slinks with rhubarb growing.

The event – which takes place in February –has steadily grown over the years with organ-isers adding more content each time toattract visitors.

The 2011 festival was visited by over 80,000people and provided the opportunity for localchefs to show off their skills while also actingas a showcase for the best of the region’s foodand drink offering – including the famousrhubarb.

According to Wakefield Council’s eventsteam, the festival’s lasting success is down toworking with partners – from tourism agencyWelcome to Yorkshire, to local restaurants,chefs and tourist attractions – to ensure thereis plenty to do at the event for both local peo-ple and visitors looking to experience whatWakefield has to offer.

Senior markets and major events managerLisa Ferguson said: “It is the first food festivalof the year in the calendar and fires everyoneup for the rest of the festivals that follow.Yorkshire has got a good reputation for foodfestivals and we are really proud of the event.”

Local businesses are always keen to getinvolved – reporting large increases in takingsover the festival weekend – and the event hasrecently been recognised for the role it playsin attracting tourists.

The festival was a finalist in the Welcome toYorkshire White Rose Awards for TourismEvent of the Year in both 2009 and 2010.

It is also in the running for VisitEngland’s

Where Else but England Award, which recog-nises the best of England’s quirky events cal-endar.

To capitalise on the festival’s tourism offer-ing, at this year’s event, organisers teamed upwith a number of local hotels to offerovernight stays which tied in with the dates ofthe festival and created a package.

Lisa added: “We are keen to work with busi-nesses and major attractions in the regionand we had a really good mix of program-ming. Our partners can see the benefits ofgetting involved, which is really important.”

Food also plays a major part in another of Wakefield Council’s mostpopular events – the Pontefract Liquorice Festival. The festival wasoriginally organised by the Pontefract Liquorice Trust but the counciltook over running the event two years ago. The team added that theystill work closely with the trust – holding regular meetings with them– and both sides are really pleased with how the festival has developed.

The council’s annual bonfire night cele-brations take place in Wakefield’sThornes Park and attract up to 30,000visitors each year.At last year’s event, changes weremade to improve the safety and crowdmanagement aspects of the event –and the visitor experience.This involved setting up a special oper-ations room in conjunction with WestYorkshire Police, which included CCTVscreens – allowing organisers and theemergency services to keep a close eyeon what was going on on the groundand spot any potential incidents.The team added that everyone involvedthought the idea worked really well asit allowed them to step in and diffuseany situations before they escalatedand they are looking at doing it againthis year.

THE events team is made upof senior markets and majorevents manager LisaFerguson and senior festivalsofficers Debbie McKeith andNatalie Johansson.

Together they work on arange of projects which arebringing more visitors intothe city and raise its profileas an area capable of hostingevents.

After successfully complet-ing work on the WakefieldFestival of Food, Drink andRhubarb in February, theyare currently working withpartners in the city to pre-

pare for the opening of the Hepworth Wakefield –a major new art gallerywhich launches on May 21.

Lisa added: “We tap intothe skills of our tourismteam and work very closelywith other departments. Weunderstand the mutual ben-efits that working in partner-ship can bring.

“We are currently workingwith the Hepworth Wakefieldon their launch opening andlooking forward to theOlympic celebrations in2012.”

Events team drawsthe visitors ...

Festival marksrhubarb links

09 15/4/11 12:09 Page 1

2 10 FESTIVAL FINALES

THE Campaign for Daylight Savingsis calling for a three-year trial peri-od on this issue, which would meanadding two hours to GMT in thesummer and one hour in winter.

But according to FantasticFireworks managing director JonCulverhouse this could have disas-trous consequences for the indus-try, as during the summer monthsit will be too light to let off fire-works before the 11pm curfew.

Since we spoke to Jon, responseshave been flooding in from othercompanies – with many fireworkssuppliers agreeing with his com-ments.

Hannah Clarkson fromPyrotexfireworx explained: “As youare not legally allowed to let off fire-works after 11pm, the double BSTwould have a devastating effect onthe firework industry as it would betoo light in summer to be able to letoff fireworks before 11pm.

“Many professional display com-panies rely on the summer weddingseason and summer events to sup-port their November seasonal

income. If this campaign were to goahead, we would see many fireworkcompanies go out of business.”

Director of Big Bang FireworksMartin Edwards added: "We at BigBang Fireworks have no problemwith the daylight saving proposals,and would enjoy the lighterevenings.

“However we would need achange in the law to allow theindustry to fire displays up to midnight for six to eight weeks

of the summer. Or else we will all be out of work for one of ourpeak periods.”

21CC Fireworks’ director GeoffCrow also spoke to The Main Eventabout his concerns for the industryif this proposal was to go ahead.

The company is based in Scotlandso if the time difference came intoforce, it would be close to midnightwhen it got dark, which couldimpact on the company’s summerbusiness such as corporate eventsand music festivals.

He added: “Fireworks havebecome an established way of fin-ishing an event off in style. It makesa big statement about an event if ithas a professional fireworks displayand removing that finale would bea real shame.

“I don’t think the government hasthought this through.

“ In the current climate whereeveryone is working hard to sustain their business, the government should be thinkingabout how they can support theindustry.”

Last issue The Main Event spoke to a worried fireworks supplier who claimed the proposedintroduction of double British Summer Time could kill off the fireworks industry. Here we look atsome of your responses.

Change would have‘devastating effect’

Picture courtesy of 21CC Fireworks

THE perfect time to fire your fire-works is just as the headline groupconclude their last set, whilst thecrowd are still cheering.

The introduction of the fireworks atthis moment really lifts the celebra-tions to a new level.

There are many different styles ofshow. From experience, especially ifbudgets are tight, the best fireworkfinales are between two and threeminutes’ duration.

With the fireworks forming just apart of the overall entertainment,keeping the show short means thatwe can increase the intensity andscale of the show for the same money.

The sooner we are engaged in theplanning process, the more value wecan bring. With planning, we can syn-chronise the final band set with onstage with sequenced pyrotechnicsplash as we lift the fireworks.

A good firm will undertake all of theplanning and co-ordination, safetyand security of the fireworks.

This enables the event planners tofocus on the rest of the event.

For more information contact 21ccFireworks on: 0800 612 9371 or visit:

www.21ccfireworks.com

Vital timing ...

10 15/4/11 12:09 Page 1

TRAINING & EDUCATION 11

IN the past, degrees in event man-agement have come under fire fromcertain corners of the industry –with some claiming the only realway to learn is on the job.

But with the course atHuddersfield now seven years old,head of department for hospitalityand events Rita Carmouche saystimes are changing and a mixture oftheory and practical experience isthe best way to create the eventmanagers of tomorrow.

It’s not easy for students to makeit on to the course at this university.A good points score at A Level andrelevant work experience are bothneeded to make the grade and toensure everyone who signs upknows the realistic side of organis-ing events – not just its glamorousperception.

She explained: “We get studentswith the same academic entrypoints as those studying subjectssuch as law and chemistry and theyhave chosen this subject specifical-ly. When they come for an inter-view, we ask if they have beeninvolved in events and that’s whatwe look for in their application.

“Universities have a responsibilityto make sure we put people onevents that are capable.”

As part of the four-year degree,students undertake a work place-ment in their third year which givesthem the chance to put the theorythey have learned so far into prac-tice.

And with the earliest graduatesfrom this type of course now hold-ing prominent positions in theindustry, more doors are being

opened for students to gain theexperience needed to kickstart theircareers.

Rita added: “Once the graduatesbecome managers, they have a dif-ferent view of these students andare more responsive to them. Theindustry has to be open to youngpeople because they are its future.If it turns them away, then they willgo and work in different industries.”

Throughout the course, studentsare also encouraged to gain practi-cal work experience by volunteer-ing at events and in their final year,are tasked with organising a localevent, working alongside existingstaff as colleagues rather than stu-dents. The intake each year is alsorelatively small compared with rivalcourses – meaning each personbenefits from as much individual

support as they need.

Rita added: “Our USP is that weonly take 45 students on eachcourse so we have got the time todevelop them. We also run a lot ofvisits out to give them a feel for theglobal industry.

“One of the strengths of ourcourse is that the students canthink as well as operate withinevents. They have the right combi-nation of practical experience andintellect and are up to date withnew trends.

“We are producing people with alot of practical experience but alsograduates with the intellect to takethe industry forward – and wewant to see these students wel-comed into the industry. The worldis changing and people need all theexpertise they can get.”

Graduates from The University of Huddersfield’s events management degree have gone on to jobs rangingfrom organising local authority events to managing projects as far afield as Canada. Christina Eccles met withstudents and staff.

EVENTS which final year studentshave played a part in include theHuddersfield Literature Festival, thetown’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations and the World CoalCarrying Championships atGawthorpe.

They can be tasked with managinganything from town centre roadclosures, to artiste liaison, market-ing and sourcing venues, whichgives them a realistic take on theelements involved in pullingtogether a major event.

Course lecturer Nikki Dawson toldThe Main Event that another suc-cessful project the students havebeen involved in is ‘Million Makers’– events which raise funds for ThePrince’s Trust – and in three and ahalf years have raised £19,500 forthe charity.

She said the students have beenincreasingly given more responsi-bility on events and that organisersand venues they have worked withhave been impressed with theirabilities – and so has she.

She added: “When I’m workingwith the students, I feel like we areequals and they are my colleagues.”

Students Katie Perry and AnnWilliams also explained why thecourse has been so valuable tothem. They believe the combinationof theory and practical experiencethey have gained from their degreehas given them a good grounding toget a job in the industry.

Both graduate this summer, withAnn staying at the university to do apost graduate course and Katy look-ing for work in events. Huddersfield Literature Festival organising team

No glamorous perceptionfor events students

Good grounding to secure job

A.C. Entertainment Technologies rigging divi-sion is to run another set of its rigging train-ing schools, taking place at the LS-LIVEStudio in Wakefield.

The school is a training partnershipbetween A.C. Rigging, trussing and stagingmanufacturer Prolyte and BackstageAcademy, a Wakefield based initiative offeringentertainment industry training.

Keeping the same format as last year, thetwo day training programme – which hasbeen attended by industry practitioners fromacross Europe – will be led by Eric Porter, acommittee member for the PLASA NationalRigging Certificate.

The first course took place at the end ofMarch and others are scheduled for June andSeptember.

Rigging training

11 12/4/11 15:07 Page 1

2 12 CONFERENCES & VENUE

THE awards – organised by TheMain Event’s sister magazineWorkout – were created to cele-brate excellence within the fitnessindustry and to celebrate clubs andindividuals who had demonstratedoutstanding commitment in theirfields.

And with gyms entering from upand down the country, it wasimportant to find a venue thateveryone could get to.

Liz explained: “One of the mostimportant decisions to make waswhere the awards would be held.Workout is distributed throughoutthe length and breadth of the UK,so we needed to choose a venuewhich was accessible to all. In theend, we decided to book theNational Railway Museum in York.

“Obviously, there are pros andcons with using an 'unusualvenue'. There are limitations on theuse of the building, especiallywhen it comes to the staging andAV equipment, so we hired a localAV company who had stagedevents at the museum before andwere used to working within itslimitations. Fortunately, the prosfar outweigh the cons at this venue– the catering is excellent, the staffextremely helpful and there are two

large, flexible spaces available touse for your event with one, TheStation Hall, able to accommodateup to 700 for a sit-down dinner.

“As this was the inaugural event, itwas hard to gauge what the finalnumbers would be, so we needed avenue which could cater for num-bers anywhere between 300 and700 and there are not many venueswith that amount of flexibility inthe UK, as I discovered whenresearching the various options.Plenty of hotels can cater foraround 300-350 for a dinner/dance,but after that you are faced witheither a marquee in the grounds –not good in November heated or not – or getting rid of the dance floor which reduces theoptions for offering decent enter-tainment.”

Almost 500 people attended theawards ceremony and dinner, host-ed by Olympic swimmer SharronDavies and after receiving suchpositive feedback from guests,organisers are looking to make thisyear’s event even better.

Liz added: “To move the awardsforward in 2011, we have acted inresponse to feedback we receivedand have included six new cate-gories, which will include some of

the niche gyms who didn't feel ableto compete against some of thebigger clubs last year.

“We have also decided to includea member achievement award, onthe basis that it would be good forthe industry to honour some of thepeople who have helped their gymbecome successful by theirachievements.

“This year, the awards will be heldin the Midlands. Good as the

National Railway Museum was as avenue, we need to alternate wherethe event is held to be fair to every-one wanting to attend.

“Clubs have already contacted mefor details ahead of the launch,both those who entered last year aswell as new entrants. Sponsors arealso signing up again for this year –an excellent indication of how wellthe awards were received in theinaugural year.”

The first ever National Fitness Awards arrived with a bang last year, attracting almost 500 people to York’sNational Railway Museum. With big plans already in place for this year’s awards, The Main Event spoke toorganiser Liz Lee.

Awards in good shape for second year

Sharron Davies with some of the award winners

THE Ricoh Arena has held its highestprofile meeting to date, which includ-ed a visit from the Prime Ministerand Deputy Prime Minister.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg,along with Government MinistersVince Cable, Eric Pickles, Mark Priskand Greg Clarke, attended theNational Local Enterprise PartnershipSummit at the venue in Coventry.

Representatives from LEPs acrossthe country were invited to attend areception in the Jaguar Club beforehearing from the leaders of theCoalition Government.

Chief executive Daniel Gidney said:“The Ricoh Arena’s reputation as a

centre for business excellence isgrowing all the time and this ministe-rial visit endorses the environmentwe provide for businesses across theUK.

“We have taken the city of Coventryfrom outside the top 20 UK confer-encing destinations to seventh placewithin five years which emphasisesnot only the high standard of ourfacilities but also our flexibility sincewe can hold events for between sevento 7,000 delegates.”� Picture shows chairman of Coventry andWarwickshire LEP Denys Shortt, PrimeMinister David Cameron, Deputy PrimeMinister Nick Clegg and Ricoh Arena chiefexecutive Daniel Gidney.

High-profile meeting endorsesarena’s growing reputation

A LONDON conference and eventsvenue has completed an extensiverefurbishment programme to expandits offering to organisers.

Glaziers Hall, which can accommo-date up to 600 guests, now featuresseveral newly adapted and enhancedspaces in which to host events, con-ferences and meetings including theRiver room, library and andBanqueting Hall.

Managing director SamanthaEnstone said: “We are extremelyexcited and proud to be part of theGlaziers Hall journey.

“The continued investment in audio visual, lighting and decor is an integral part of our strategy,allowing us to stay ahead of our com-petitors, meet clients’ high demandsand work with the best in our busi-ness.”

‘We are extremely excited and proud to be part of theGlaziers Hall journey’

12 15/4/11 12:11 Page 1

SCREEN HIRE 13

XL Video is a multi award winningworldwide operation and an industryleader focused on supplying the bestvideo systems and crew for all typesof tours and events.

The company stocks a wide rangeof indoor and outdoor LED surfaces –from 4mm high resolution, to 40 mmlow resolution – plus a diversity of‘creative’ products and everything inbetween, including numerous ‘spe-cials’ like MiStrips and MiSpheresand a full range of truck mountedscreens.

In addition to display screens, XLVideo has the widest range of othervideo related SD and HD productsincluding all types of projectors,

cameras and PPU systems which arepre-configured and available ‘off-the-shelf’, designed with tours, festivalsand one-off events in mind.

Then there is an endless assortmentof ancillary equipment that only anestablished company can offer, theessential mechanical ‘glue’ that isvital to making any touring video sys-tem ready-to-rock. These includefibre control and computer playbacksystems, media servers, hangingbrackets, dollies and transportablesof every description – all of which areprepped and ready-to-go.

Equally as important as the equip-ment is the huge pool of knowledgeand expertise offered by XL’s full time

staff and regular freelancers, who areamong the most talented, skilled andcreative engineers and brains in theindustry.

They ensure unparalleled levels ofexperience are available to all XL’s

clients to assist in finding solutionsfor their requirements and expecta-tions, however ambitious, XL’s A-Team of project managers has extensive experience in all marketsectors.

Top equipment and huge expertise

Four live siteplan forLondon 2012FOUR live sites will be positionedaround the Capital next summer solocals and visitors can experience theexcitement of the London 2012Olympics on large outdoor screens.

The sites are planned for Hyde Park,Victoria Park, Trafalgar Square andPotters Fields Park and will alsoinclude a programme of free enter-tainment to showcase London andthe UK to the world.

Live Nation has been appointed asthe event organiser and promoter byThe Mayor of London, The RoyalParks and Tower Hamlets Counciland the company has also beengranted commercial rights allowingthem to stage concerts and offer hos-pitality packages, food and drinkconcessions and merchandisingopportunities.

Chief executive of The Royal ParkMark Camley said: "The Royal Parkswill host some of the key venues forthe London 2012 Olympic andParalympic Games and we aredelighted that Hyde Park will not onlybe home to the Triathlon andMarathon Swimming events – but to

the largest Live Site in London aswell. Combining the beautiful sur-roundings of Hyde Park and theexcitement of London during theGames, the atmosphere at the LiveSite promises to be electric.

Live Nation UK chief operating offi-cer John Probyn added: “Live Nationare delighted to be producing andpromoting the London Live Sites2012.

“This is a remarkable opportunityfor Londoners and the UK to showthe rest of the world how to celebrateen masse and embrace the spirit ofthe 2012 Games.

“Live Nation has produced some ofthe biggest multi-artist events inLondon including Live 8, Concert forDiana, Wireless Festival and HardRock Calling, but this event reachesentirely new levels.

“Combining every magical sportingmoment throughout the London sitesand showcasing a world class line upof multi cultural activity and interna-tionally known artists, this will be themost exciting chapter in the historyof Live Nation in the UK."

LED screens have been adding thewow factor to performances ofaward winning musical We WillRock You, which has been touringvenues throughout the UK andItaly.

displayLED’s digiLED TILE sys-tem screens have been used tocompliment the stage show, pro-jecting a mixture of video, anima-tion, graphics and lighting effects.

Sales director Guy Horrigan said:“The ability for the frames to beinstalled and de-rigged quickly onthe tours is vital.

“The digiLED TILE system is alsoexceptionally light weight, whichis a great benefit as many theatrescan’t fly traditional LED screens.”

According to Guy, the companyhas seen a recent increase in the-atres using LED screen backdrops.

He added: “WWRY was the firsttheatre production to use LEDscreens on stage in a big way. In2002 the investment was about$1.6m but now, with costs approxi-mately one third of what theywere, this more accessible pricingwill create new opportunities forthe live show environment.

“LED is perfect for creating allkinds of effects, including scenicchanges, and it will be increasinglyexploited.

“The experience we’ve gained onWWRY since our first involvementin 2002 is invaluable.”

We will wow you ...

13 12/4/11 15:08 Page 1

2 14 SCREEN HIRE

Advertiser’s announcement

BIG TV is a provider of state-of-the-art giant LED screens for all eventneeds including mass participationsporting events, concerts, roadshows, festivals, promotions, outdoorbroadcasts and more.

They specialise in Mobile LEDScreen hire but also have modularsolutions available.

The mobile units include on-boardgenerators, built in VT5 edit suites,D&B PA sound systems and the largerunits have integrated stage and light-ing facilities.

For live event needs, Big TV canprovide professional camera crewand equipment, wireless links, mix-ing technicians, sound engineers andmore.

As Big TV enters its eighth year oftrading, they’re pleased with how thebusiness is progressing.

Despite the recession and difficulteconomic times, the main event sea-son looks set to be another successfulone.

That’s not to say the budget cutshaven’t been noticed.

Production manager Amy Jenkinssaid: “Many clients with whom wehave long standing working relationships with are feeling thestrain of council reductions and we’re sad to see clients who havebecome good friends to Big TV

facing redundancy.

“The natural progression is thatbudget cuts have a knock on effect topricing strategies.”

But they remain positive as lookingahead, the 2012 Olympics is looming,and coupled with Euro 2012 theirevents calendar will be dominatedwith sporting and outdoor broadcastevents in the UK and Europe.

In response to this, during the yearBig TV are looking to strengthen theirprofessional relationship with bothfellow screen suppliers and manufac-turers, venturing into new contractstogether and researching new ideasand investments.

With a high demand for screens in2012 and hopefully the followingyears, they will be looking to makenew investments to meet the alreadyhigh demand for screens. To main-tain their high standards of equip-ment and professionalism, a newinvestment isn’t a decision that willbe made lightly.

Keeping a keen eye on new devel-opments, particularly 3D large screenLED technology, managing director,Simon Woodcock added: “We’re look-ing for investments with a new out-look and innovative design to com-plement our existing, well respectedand recognised fleet.

“Any additions to Big TV need to bea continuation of the high qualityequipment our clients are used to

working with.”

Big TV is proud of the reputationand status they’ve built over theyears, remaining the preferred sup-plier of many major outdoor eventsand successful event managementscompanies.

Simon added: “We pride ourselveson providing outstanding attentionto detail, full technical support and

expert consultancy across our rangeof services.

“Our professional capability doesnot make us unapproachable and ourfriendly team are happy to work onall projects, large or small.

“These are fundamental core elements of our business that keep clients coming back year afteryear.”

Switched-on firm looks to future

One of Big TV’s 46sqm screens with integrated stage, lighting & sound

14 12/4/11 15:09 Page 1

SCREEN HIRE 15

Supplier re-launches websiteAdvertiser’s announcement

THE UK’s leading event LED screensupplier have just re-launched theirwebsite.

www.adi.tv has been updated with abrand new look and even more con-tent to help event organisers decidewhich screen and service they need.

The brand new LED screen selectorpage brings all of ADI’s class-leadingrange of screen options onto a singlepage, with full details of each of ADI’siCONIC mobile LED screens – theworld’s widest and largest range ofmobile screens – as well as modularscreen options and digiBOARD eventsignage solutions.

Following a record 2010, which sawADI provide well over 1,000 days ofscreen rental, ADI are finding 2011 tobe even busier, and the websitelaunch has been timed to streamlinethe booking process.

Marketing manager Oliver Brindleyexplained: “We’ve chosen now tolaunch the new website to ensure

people can get full use of it to booktheir screens for the summer – tradi-tionally the busiest season in ourmarket. Unlike most of our competi-tors, we offer a huge selection ofscreens and size options and a fleetof over 25 screens, so we’ve focusedthe site on making it as easy as possi-ble for our customers to comparethem directly and choose the bestsolution for their event. Each of ouriCONIC screens is accompanied byits own video – to show how it is built– key specifications and multiplephotos of it in use at events, givingcustomers a great sense of scale.

“We’ve provided an even largerlibrary of case studies and these areorganised by industry to show ourcustomers how our screens havebeen used in events similar to theirs.You’ll also find full details of the otherservices we offer to help lower costsfor our customers, such as full eventbroadcast and extensive brandingopportunities on all of our trailers.”

SOME of Cornwall’s best loved loca-tions will provide the setting for agiant inflatable screen, showing aseason of outdoor film screenings.

The 8m x 6m screen enables up to500 people to watch a film at any onetime and film lovers can see theirfavourite flicks in a range of unusualplaces, including the grounds ofPendennis Castle, on a beach in West

Cornwall and on a ferry in the middleof the Fal river. Each location hasbeen chosen by organisers for itsbreathtaking views and scenery andthe films being shown at each screen-ing will compliment the setting.

The project is being staged by EventCornwall and Skylight Cinema, fol-lowing the success of Film on the Fal– a movie screening held on the King

Harry Ferry which forms part of theFal River Festival.

Event Cornwall director ClaireEason-Bassett said: “The buzz ofwatching a film like Jaws on a ferry inthe middle of a river after dark is fan-tastic for audiences and we wantedto capture that feeling at other loca-tions across the county.

“Cornwall has a wealth of spectacu-

lar settings in which to screen amovie, so this year we have rolled outa season of shows capturing its beau-ty. Wherever possible we have tried towork with organisations that pre-serve the natural beauty of Cornwall,so we have chosen settings likeGodrevy beach and Pendennis Castleas they are protected EnglishHeritage and National Trust sites.”

Screen to move around Cornwall

15 12/4/11 15:09 Page 1

2 16 SCREEN HIRE

Advertiser’s announcement

LIGHTMEDIA Displays is highlyregarded throughout the event indus-try for their professionalism andcapabilities.

We have the capacity to work atshort notice at any time of the day ornight with a highly experienced teamwho have all worked together for the last 15 years and are recog-nised throughout the events industryas possessing an impeccable reputa-tion.

Our event teams perform to the

highest standards and with the deter-mination to achieve perfect projectdelivery which makes us stand outfrom the crowd. On site, we coordi-nate with other contractors in a pro-fessional manner to ensure that yourevent is a huge success. In fact strongbonds and relationships have beendeveloped with many of the familiarfaces that we are fortunate to meeton different sites up and down theU.K.

Our friendly team are approachableand will go that “extra mile” on theday to ensure that you are totally

happy with yourLightmedia experi-ence.

The LightmediaDisplays Fleet hasgrown intensivelyover the years fromwhen Eddie “any-thing is possible”Smith, started outin 1997 bringingthe first bulb typescreen unit into theU.K from the USA.We have grown our

fleet steadily which currently consistsof 11 mobile LED truck mountedscreens with sizes ranging from 8sqmto 60 sqm, all with high quality reso-lution led screens with a 7mm virtualpixel pitch.

In addition to our fleet we also carry200 sqm of modular screen which aresuitable for both indoor and outdooruse. Our latest two additions to theLightmedia Fleet are our new 12sqmmobile screen and also the latest inoutside broadcast trucks whichjoined us at the end of March 2011,having been purpose built to LMDspecification.

Lightmedia has worked on manyhigh profile events over the years andclients love us for our “can do“approach, nothing is too much trou-ble for any client who we are workingwith, however large or small theirevent is.

We pride ourselves on outstandingattention to detail with full technicalsupport and expert consultancyacross our range of services that areprovided to only the highest of indus-try standards.

Lightmedia provide a full event

broadcast solution; all our screenscome with full outside broadcastfacilities with production suites andmicrowave links, along with onboardgenerators which are silent and eco friendly.

Using our exclusive and highly pro-fessional camera crew, we can pro-vide your event with only the mostexperienced directors and visionmixers, all with one call.

Lightmedia Displays recently wonthe prestigious contract for CancerResearch UK providing screens forthe majority of their Shine and Racefor Life events in the UK.

Equipment and suppliers managerNick Wright recently said ofLightmedia: “The service that LMDprovides does not start and finishwith the provision of screens butrather it includes, consultancy; con-tent production; dedicated accountmanagement; requirement flexibility;price discounts and added valueservices.

“Cancer Research UK is happy toendorse and recommend LMD andlook forward to working with themagain in 2011.”

Determined to achieveperfect project delivery

16 12/4/11 15:10 Page 1

Access ControlTicket Alternative UK ltdUnit 333Ashley Rd, LondonN17 9LNT: 0800 011 2894E: [email protected]

Air DisplaysTSA Consulting LtdLodge House15 Gosditch StreetCirencesterGloucestershireGL7 2DPT; 01285 659590E: [email protected]

Backline & PA HireSensible Music Group90-96 Brewery RoadLondonN7 9NT T: 020 7700 9900 F: 020 7700 4802E: [email protected]

Car and VanrentalArnold ClarkRental Head OfficeKerse RoadStirlingFK7 7RUT:01786 468 700E: [email protected]

CCTV Hire2CL Communications LtdUnit C, Woodside Trade CentreParham DriveEastleighHampshireSO50 4NUT: 0800 389 2278F: 02380 720038E: [email protected]

CrowdManagementSpecialized Security4 Fairways Business Park Deer ParkLivingston EH54 8AF T: 01506 442255E: [email protected]

Pro Touch Security Ltd4C Queensway business CentreDunlop WayScunthorpeNorth LincolnshireDN16 3RNT: 01724 279522E: [email protected]

Event BrandingPrinciple Group2270 Silverstone Technology ParkSilverstone CircuitNorthantsNN12 8TNT: 01327 858 614F: 01327 858 287www.principle-group.co.uk

Event HireElliott – Event HireSt Georges HouseRearsby Business ParkRearsbyLeicesterLE47 4YHT: 0800 1313314E: [email protected]

Event ProductionEthix Management100 Kingsgate RoadWest HampsteadLondonNW6 2JGT: 0207 691 1960E: [email protected]

Event PowerBRM Productions LimitedUnit 12Canalside Industrial ParkKinoulton RoadCropwell BishopNottsNG12 3BET: 0115 989 9955M: 07860 285305E: [email protected]

Fireworks21cc Fireworks Hopetoun Sawmill Hopetoun Estates Edinburgh EH30 9SLT: 0800 612 4509E: [email protected]

InsuranceServicesARC InternationalSt. Clare House30-33 MinoriesLondonEC3N 1PET: +44 (0) 207 977 7630F: +44 (0) 207 977 7631E: [email protected]

Robertson Taylor33 Harbour Exchange SquareLondon E14 9GGT: 020 7510 1234E: [email protected]

MarqueesDanco PlcThe Pavilion CentreFrog LaneCoalpit HeathBristolBS36 2NWTel: 01454 250 222Fax: 01454 250 444www.danco.co.uk

GD Marquee HireWestern BrakeTedburn St MaryExeterEX6 6EYT: 01647 24455E: [email protected]

GL events SnowdensSecond DroveEastern IndustryFengatePeterboroughPE1 5XAT: 01733 344110F: 01733 314985E: [email protected]

Marquee Stakesand AccessoriesAnsell Hand Tools72 Catley RoadDarnallSheffieldS9 5JFT: 0114 244 8098E: [email protected]

MedicalManagementSP Services (UK) LtdUnit D4, Hortonpark EstateHortonwood 7 Telford Shropshire TF1 7GXT: 01952 288 999F: 01952 606 112E: [email protected]

ParamedicoNo 1a Storage unitTannery closeCroydon Industrial EstateBeckenham, Kent BR3 4BYT: 02086565956M: 07515287962E: [email protected]

Portable KitchensPKL Group (UK) Ltd,Stella WayBishops CleeveCheltenhamGloucestershireGL52 7DQT: 01242 663000E: [email protected]

Elliott – Event HireSt Georges HouseRearsby Business ParkRearsbyLeicesterLE47 4YHT: 0800 1313314E: [email protected]

Revolving StagesMovetech UK A division of BritishTurntable Co LtdEmblem StreetBoltonBL3 5BWT: 01204 537682E: [email protected]/rental

The Revolving Stage Company LtdUnit F5, Little Heath Industrial EstateOld Church RoadCoventryCV6 7NDT: 024 7668 7055E:[email protected]

Reusable Cup SystemsThe Incredible Cup Company Ltd41 Mitchell StreetLondonEC1V 3QDT: 0207 780 7137F: 0207 253 7165E: [email protected]

Sound & LightingStage ElectricsThird WayAvonmouthBristolBS11 9YL T: 0844 870 0077 F: 0117 916 [email protected]

StagingDaytona Stage HireP.O. Box 43HuddersfieldHD8 9YUT: 01484 605555M: 07889 132580F: 01484 602806E: [email protected]

Steeldeck Rentals LtdUnit 58T.Marchant Estate42-72 Verney RoadLondonSE16 3DHT: 020 7833 2031E: [email protected]

The Stage Bus19 Prestwood RoadWeoley CastleBirminghamB29 5EBT: 0121 603 8367M: 07738 900 762 E [email protected]

ToiletsEventloos.com12a Bold Industrial ParkNeil’s RoadSt HelensMerseysideWA9 4TUT: 0845 544 0513E: [email protected]

Elliott – Event HireSt Georges HouseRearsby Business ParkRearsbyLeicesterLE47 4YHT: 0800 1313314E: [email protected]

VenuesWicksteed Park Ltd.Barton RoadKetteringNorthantsNN15 6NJT: 01536 512475F: 01536 518948E: [email protected]

Walkie Talkies2CL Communications LtdUnit C, Woodside Trade CentreParham DriveEastleighHampshireSO50 4NUT: 0800 389 2278F: 02380 720038E: [email protected]

Wall to Wall CommunicationsUnilink House21 Lewis RoadSutton, SurreySM1 4BRT:020 8770 1007F:020 8770 9700E:[email protected]

Water suppliesWater Direct LtdB-26 Earls Colne Business ParkEarls ColneColchesterEssexCO6 2NST: 0845 345 1725F: 01787 223354E: [email protected]

365 - SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

17 365 15/4/11 12:14 Page 1

2 18

FAIRGROUNDS

To advertise call

01226 734 702

CLASSIFIED

FESTIVAL security has changed a great deal inthe last 10 years.

Then Police and security firms saw festivals asa club in a field which sometimes led to lack ofappropriate management of the risks of an out-door event. It was all about managing the gatesthen, rather than what was going on inside thefestival. Security dressed in paramilitary uni-forms and sometimes their manner was overlyaggressive and both festival goers and organis-ers found them intimidating.

The tragic incidents which occurred at festi-vals in 2010 were shocking. But part of the rea-son they got so much press was that incidents atfestivals are very rare. Crowd problems arescarce. In comparisons to towns with similarpopulations figures, festivals’ assault statisticsare tiny. Theft, and ticket fraud on the otherhand, is a problem with many events. But overthe last few years’ direct action by festivalorganisers and Police has seen this decreasingyear on year.

One of the reasons the AIF was founded byRob da Bank and Ben Turner was to address therise in thefts at events, and the opportunity formembers to share information and ideas aboutfestival crime and security is a great resource.The AIF also set up a Security Task Force toshare intelligence and work with festival securi-ty. They have had significant results in combat-ing crime at Rock Ness, Creamfields andBestival.

Melvin Benn’s Crime at Major Music Festivals’conference has brought about better under-standing between Police and promoters. An out-come has been the setting up of the PoliceIntelligence Forum where Police share intelli-gence and trends across the UK. Also a rollingintelligence log now covers the larger festivalswhich gives a real indicator of what issues needaddressing each year and if they are being con-trolled adequately.

There is now a major initiative to address tick-et fraud. Podium is a Police Unit which has beena great success with approximately 50 arrests inthe first six months. Another success has beenthe setting up of the Action Fraud website. This

enables fraud to be reported very easily by thepublic and has increased intelligence signifi-cantly, resulting in ticket forgers and bogus tick-et suppliers being caught. Pan European intelli-gence is also now being disseminated throughthe E.U.

Outdoor event security is becoming moresophisticated each year. New Bucks and LeedsUniversity undertake research and offer degreesin the subject. Cardiff University offers excellentEnvironmental Health Degrees which includeissues relating to open air events. Terms such ascrime tackling, planned advance intelligencegathering, crime mapping, and pattern recogni-tion in developing situations are now used andundertaken at festivals.

Predicting crowd behaviour and the move-ment of people attending festivals is part of theplanning now. Knowing the acts or other enter-tainments that stimulate movement is discussedbetween programmers and security in advanceso that appropriate crowd controls can be put inplace.

All these things would have been unimagin-able 10 years ago and personally I have aMargaret Rutherford rather than the ArnoldSchwarzenegger approach to festival securityand think this sort of sensible, intelligentresearch and analysis wonderful.

But things could always be improved and inthe future it would be good to include sportingorganisations in discussions as they experiencethe same problems. Also for Government to bemore supportive of events generally by lookingat legislation related to ticket touting, merchantaccounts and temporary parking as an example.After all millions of people attend festivals eachyear from the UK and abroad, and they generatea lot of income in to the UK economy. Changesin legislation would not only decrease crime butincrease income into the exchequer.

Many festivals do not have problems withcrime, but none of us can sit on our laurels. It isall about prediction, prevention and control,and thankfully I do not know a festival organiserwho doesn’t do everything they can to protectthe people who come to their festivals and is

not willing to rise to the challenge.

� Fiona is managing director of the Green ManFestival and member of the Association ofIndependent Festivals.

Organising festivals such as The Big Chill and Green Man have given Fiona Stewart insights into thechanging role of security and crowd management at events. In a special column for The Main Event, sheshares her thoughts.

Fiona Stewart

The changing role of securityand crowd management

18 Classi 12/4/11 15:10 Page 1

PORTABLE ROADWAY

MEDICAL

RECYCLING

WASTE MANAGEMENT

FESTIVALS

TOILET HIRE

REVOLVING STAGES

Unit D, Central Estate,Albert Road, Aldershot,Hampshire GU11 1SZ

Tel: 01252 313005

The EventMedicine Company

Email: [email protected]

BARS

RADIO HIRE

EVENT BRANDING

BALLOONS

CLASSIFIED 19

CATERING

EVENT HIRE

LARGE SCREEN HIREFREIGHT HEATING & COOLING

SILENT DISCO

CLEANING

19 classi 15/4/11 12:15 Page 1

20 - Derby 12/4/11 15:01 Page 1

Main Event April 2011

Documents

Transcript of Main Event April 2011