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Park Peoplewww.parkworld-online.com“You willsee morebranding inthe next 10yearsdefinitely; thenewgenerationare used tobrands ineveryday lifeand we havegot torecognisethat. Thisindustry hasgot a recordof being ableto spot thesocialchanges andadaptGary Smart”Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park,part of a growing trend in recentyears for branded attractionsget them and they will come to use rather than goinland.What progress is the association making onongoing issues like VAT and daylightsaving?GS – I think the issue of VAT is one we must keepchiselling away at, because if you look around the EUthere are others that have an advantage over usbecause of their lower tax rates. We can’t be blind tothat. Daylight saving may happen. We got so far withit, but I’m afraid it gets mired in the Union (UK)politics, which are all up in the air at the moment.We’ve also been able to ward off several otherthreats. Last year’s Machine Games Duty (MGD), forexample, would have been particularly serious for ourmembers had it not been for the exemption wesecured on non-monetary prize machines.JB – Yes we have done very well to get the prizeexemption. My concern with VAT is that whatever rate itcame in at, it would not be the same in a few years. Iactually remember when VAT was 5% – for everything– but I’ve only ever know it go up, not down.Explain why London remains such animportant meeting place for BALPPAmembers each JanuaryJB – It all goes back to the old Amusement TradesExhibition (ATE), which started at the Horticultural Hallaround 1936 I think. A few years after the war itmoved to Alexandra Palace, then onto Olympia andEarls Court as ATEI, before the show was sold aboutfive or six years ago. It was a different era back then,it used be called meeting week; the BALPPA dinnerwas on Monday night, the Fellowship on Tuesday andthen the BACTA [British Amusement Catering TradesAssociation] on the Thursday night.GS – We have always held our AGM in January tobecause everyone was here in London anyway, andthe dinner is a bit of a legacy from that.JB – Now we have EAG Expo at Docklands, but Ipreferred it when we were at Olympia, and I thinkthat’s why Euro Attractions Show (EAS) was a bigsuccess last September at the same venue. One yearat ATEI we had a European rides show in Earls Court2 and there was at one time a vision of doing a jointATEI/IAAPA European show in London on an annualbasis.JC – We were dreaming even further, thinking therewould probably only be two or tree such showsaround the world – IAAPA in the States, London andthen one in Asia or the Middle East. The first EAS wasin London, organised by ATEI.What are some of your fondest memories ofBALPPA’s summer meetings and events?GS – We always used to have one year in the UK andthen one on the continent somewhere. Geoffrey[Thompson] suggested Torquay, he said it was reallynice and recommended a hotel. When we got thereand it was just like Fawlty Towers, I don’t thinkGeoffrey had actually stayed there since the 1950s –they really hadn’t touched it since!JC – When we used to go to Europe you’d have quitea fair itinerary, two or three parks a day. We’d be onthe coach all day and then suddenly Geoffrey wouldspot a signpost. “Oh look, a model village! Shall wego and do that?” So off we all went to the modelvillage…JB – You talk about memories, but it’s all about thepeople really. People like Geoffrey, and Pat Evans whocould really make you laugh in a very strange way. Iremember a German trip where we were in Munichand a reception had been arranged for us. We wereall stood there drinking champagne when the mayorcame over. “Ah Mr Evans, have you been to Munichbefore?” he asked. “Only as a bombsite!” Pat alwaysspoke his mind – and more besides.Where will the British parks industry be in10 years’ time?MH – I think we will see more Thomas Lands andPeppa Pig Worlds appear, that’s for sure.GS – Yeah more branding definitely, the newgeneration are used to brands in everyday life and wehave got to recognise that. This industry has got arecord of being able to spot the social changes andadapt.JC – Looking from the outside to a degree, I think youwon’t find three better examples than those peopleand families sat around this table. When they are soinvolved with ownership there are ways and means ofbucking the trend or moving that little bit faster in themarketplace.GS – My boys have just come into the business in thelast three years and they bring new thinking thatchallenges the old thinking, and that’s entirely right.balppa.org28 MARCH 2012