News Archive

Bestival trebles in size in just three years
THE Isle of Wight’s Bestival – the brainchild of Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank – has trebled in size in just three years. 
It started out at under 10,000 capacity and has grown to welcome 30,000 people in September this year, largely down to its chilled and friendly ethos. 
One observer who has witnessed the growth first hand is Steve Reynolds, London area manager for the event’s crowd management partner, Showsec. “It’s one of our staff’s favourite festivals,” he says. 
“The atmosphere is such fun that we get employees phoning us up throughout the year, keen to work here.” 
Showsec started out as a consultant to the festival but has provided security, stewarding and crowd management services for the last three years, working closely alongside Jim King and his production company Loud Sound Productions. 
One of the unique features of the event is that Rob da Bank is more hands on than many far less well known event organisers and even gets involved in the security briefing. 
“As a promoter he was really hands on in what we were doing,” says Steve. “He came into the meeting and explained how he perceived the festival and how he wanted our staff to enhance the customers’ experience. It really helped the supervisors get an idea of what was required.” 
Key challenges were the shape of the site, which is set in a working country park, and the fact that festival-goers have extensive access throughout the weekend. 
“People spread around the site because there’s so much on offer all the time. It’s much more about the overall vibe than the acts on the main stage.” 
Nonetheless, with artists including the Beastie Boys, The Chemical Brothers and Primal Scream on the bill, the festival needed the best barrier systems available. Co-ordinated by the company’s on-site supervisor Danny Butlin, Mojo Barriers supplied some 152 barriers for the event. These covered the main stage, key front of house positions and other arenas. In addition, some 70 metres of bar were provided to Bestival’s specialist festival bar operator, Peppermint Events. 
With such a high demand for Bestival tickets it was vital to be able to identify the bona-fide customers at the event and ensure they were able to enjoy the facilities to the full. The specialist developer of high security wristbands, ID&C were asked to provide identity bracelets which were impossible to forge. 

Regional shows are unveiled for next year
TWO regional shows for event organisers are in the pipeline for next year. 
Newly-launched Scattered Media is behind the shows – evenTech Scotland in February and an Irish spin-off in November 2008. 
The company has been set up by former IIR Exhibitions executives, Darren Brechin and Iain McLean — who successfully set up and masterminded the PALME Middle East and PALME India exhibitions and managed IIR’s entire global entertainment and installation technology group of events. 
The Scottish show is lready 70 per cent sold out and Darren told The Main Event a show for the events industry in the north and Scotland was long overdue. 
He added: “We have long recognised the need for an entertainment technology forum in the North of the UK, and Glasgow is the ideal location as Scotland in particular is currently experiencing unprecedented growth in tourism, leisure and commerce.” 
Extensive market research has highlighted the need for a bespoke industry networking forum to serve these regions as there is no genuine event in the country currently catering directly to these areas. 
The show is attracting strong support from some of the key names in the entertainment and installation technology sector with companies such as Adam Hall, CUK Audio, Duran Audio, Extron Electronics, Fibre Optic Systems, Highlite International, Live Systems, Penn Fabrication, Shure Distribution, Sennheiser UK, Stravens Professional UK and The Warehouse already having confirmed. 
Scattered Media’s experience and proven success in event management for this industry sector cannot fail to deliver confidence. Enthusiasm for the format has found expression at all levels, as Andy Lenthall, GM of the Production Services Association adds, ‘For the PSA, it's about getting people together under one roof. It's about time something happened in Scotland. The PSA fully support evenTech Scotland 2008.’ 
The Irish exhibition looks set to follow in the same footsteps with interest already gathering momentum for the exhibition which is still a year away. 
The evenTech Scotland will be held on February 20 and 21 at the Marriott Hotel, Glasgow while evenTech Ireland which will take place at the RDS, Dublin on November 18-19. 
 
 

Organisers warned to think green
ORGANISERS have been warned the time has come for them to stop making excuses and start being more eco-friendly when planning their events. 
BBL Event Management’s development director, Kate Cripps, told delegates at the National Venue Show that while issues such as extra cost and time constraints are often cited by organisers as reasons to put off going green, it could actually end up saving them money in the long term. 
She said: “Environmental issues are becoming more key and the basic principles of reduce, re-use and recycle can be considered when planning an event. 
“When organising an event, keep it simple and just use what you need. Check what the venue can recycle and use what you already have such as signage which, if kept generic, can be used more than once. 
“Off-setting carbon emissions is often seen as a quick fix but it is not necessarily the cure all answer – instead it is better to look at what can be reduced at source. These are simple, common sense issues which can actually save you money if you keep and re-use whatever you can. 
“People are more understanding if they know why you are doing things so explain to guests why you may be reducing certain things at events – they are less likely to object if you explain you are cutting down for the sake of the environment.” 
Kate also said it is up to organisers to put pressure on venues which may be reluctant to introduce new measures, even if they would benefit the environment. 
She added: “Venues sometimes need to be pressured to change. Organisers should ask questions such as: 
* Does the venue have natural daylight? 
* Where is the food sourced? 
* Are good directions provided for people arriving by public transport? 
Kate added: “Also ask for a venue’s environmental policies and ultimately, be an activist. Leave enough time to find a better venue if you are not satisfied and be aware it could take more time to find a venue which is more environmentally friendly.

Racecourse goes to great lengths to get ahead
DONCASTER racecourse is now jockeying for position as one of the north’s premier events venues after a massive refurbishment. 
The venue has just reopened and Arena Structures worked with the operators on the launch event – the St Leger Festival. 
Despite the improvements, temporary facilities was still needed to cope with the soaring attendances for the festival. 
This year, Arena provided its double decker structure, housing high quality glass fronted entertainment suites. 
Arena Structures’ MD Grahame Muir said: ”The St Leger is always a welcome fixture at the start of the horse-racing season.The event has grown in recent years and the racecourse has expanded its permanent facilities, but there is still a need for our temporary structures to deal with peak demand.”  
Under Arena Structures’ projects director Ron Smith, the company installed 4,900 square metres of double deck structure along the course’s home straight and 1,775 square metres of single deck in the Paddock. 
The facilities took a team of eight men four weeks to erect and two weeks to dismantle, requiring 24 trucks. As a result some 8,500 extra visitors were able to enjoy the race.