News Archive

Probe into unqualified security staff
AN investigation is underway into whether a surge in the number of music festivals across the UK will mean unqualified security staff and stewards getting away with working at them. 
A pledge to to explore the issue was one of the first tasks of Mark Harding, new chairman of the UK Crowd Management Association. 
And he has revealed how formal moves to improve supervision and leadership standards are also in the pipeline. 
Mark – UK managing director of Showsec – has drawn up a series of priorities that he believes the crowd management industry needs to address. 
He said: “A key part of my role will be to encourage all reputable crowd management companies to join the UKCMA and adopt its best practices. 
“By doing so they will be signing up to a professional standard recognised by and beyond the event industry. It is important for key member companies such as Safestyle, Special Events, Show and Event Security and Rocksteady to continue to set the standards in a unified approach.” 
Since its formation in March 2001, the association has brought together a core of event industry practitioners to encourage improved standards in crowd management and has won the recognition of government bodies including The British Standards Institute (BSi) and the Security Industry Authority (SIA). 
He added: “We need to co-operate with other event associations and develop the industry’s performance. With the Olympic Games approaching in 2012 we must ensure that the UK’s crowd management sector is the best in the world over the coming years. 
“I have already met with other associations including the National Outdoor Events Association to improve co-operation between ourselves and the Security Industry Authority (SIA).” 

Licensing laws hitting small events
THE introduction of new licensing laws has had a negative impact on the live music industry, according to a new report. 
The report, published by the Independent Live Music Forum, states that some small scale live music events have been restricted or even cancelled due to the laws. 
The Forum states that the lack of clarity in the legislation combined with some over zealous local authorities are to blame and recommends that small music venues and those putting on acoustic gigs should not have to acquire a licence to stage live music. 
Live Music Forum chairman Feargal Sharkey said: “The UK’s live music scene is a massive success – just look at the growth in summer music festivals and the speed at which events sell out. But the Government needs to do more to help grass roots musicians and particularly small venues. 
“Of course public events do need to be properly controlled, but we believe that a pub putting on an acoustic folk trio, for example, should not need a licence. That small acoustic gig does not impact on crime, disorder or public safety so should not fall under the remit of the licensing laws. 
“And we think more can be done to encourage grass roots musicians such as creating more rehearsal rooms, putting universities back on the live music circuit and creating a database of live venues.” 
The task of The Forum, which was set up in 2004, was chosen by the Government to ensure as many venues as possible took advantage of the new licensing laws, to monitor the Licensing Act’s impact on live music and to make recommendations to Government on how it might further bolster the UK’s live music industry.

Country fair wash-our cost put at £50million
THE cost of cancelling one of the UK’s biggest country fairs has been put at £50 million. 
Torrential rain left the CLA Game Fair site at Harewoood House in Yorkshire waterlogged and despite the efforts of more than 100 staff, the organisers claimed they were left with no choice but to cancel on the Sunday as the show was due to open the following Friday. It is the forst time in the fair’s 50-year history that it has had to be scrapped. 
A spokesman said: “Despite weeks of rain, the site was drying out well before the deluge of rain on Friday afternoon followed by lighter but continuous rain throughout the weekend.  
“The site was saturated with water in all areas of the showground regardless of the ditches dug to drain as much excess as possible 
“Vehicle movement was at a standstill other than along the 4,000 meters of trackway and acres of bark that had been put along all the show rows. 
“The concern was that once the exhibitors, catering units and other show contractors arrived, many vehicles would have to drive off the protected areas in order to set up and the ground couldn’t take it. 
“This would have created a safety issue apart from the other issues of vehicles getting stuck or not being able to reach their stands. 
“The organisers are only too aware that aside from the financial loss they are going to have to bear, the overall economic impact of the cancellation will be in the region of £50million. 
“This was the expected spend both inside show and the local region surrounding Harewood following an Economic Impact Survey undertaken by Bournemouth University last year.” 
Chairman of the CLA Game Fair Board, Vincent Hedley Lewis added: “Our hearts go out to all the people whose livelihood is going to be affected by our not being able to go ahead. We have truly done all we could to keep the show going for everyone’s sake. We were not defeated by foot and mouth in 2001 – but the rain has defeated us this summer.”

Street festival saved
LIVERPOOL’S Mathew Street Festival will now go ahead – but without its traditional outdoor music stages. 
The festival, which attracts about 100,000 people, was cancelled because of fears over health and safety but was given a lifeline after a series of discussions between the organisations involved led to a last-minute change of plan. 
Instead of the usual outdoor stages, there will be a number of smaller gigs at over 40 indoor venues across the city over the bank holiday weekend. 
Leader of Liverpool City Council, Coun Warren Bradley said: “I've been hugely impressed by the spirit of co-operation between the public and private sectors to try and solve the problem - but the safety issue around the outdoor stages has proved to be too complex to resolve for this year and I'm extremely disappointed. 
“The result of those efforts is a plan which provides the acts and the public with a festival which I believe retains the spirit of Mathew Street, while ensuring there is minimal risk to visitors to the city centre."  
Festival director Bill Heckle added that the changes may actually be a positive thing for the festival as some visitors may prefer it going back to its roots. 
He added:"The feel of the event will echo earlier Mathew Street Festivals, which some people actually prefer.  
'There will be dozens of bars and restaurants staging live music events and we implore stakeholders, who perhaps have not hosted live music in their bars during the Festival before, will now find a way of providing such entertainment to satisfy the huge demand that will be evident over the whole weekend. We applaud the initiative taken by many already to do just that."