Open Air Business February 2017

EVENTS
Shelley Eckford, partner
Tropical Roadshow
07517 881396
www.tropicalroadshow.co.uk
Describe the importance of the
entertainment you offer at public events
As a new business, in the last 12 months,
Tropical Roadshow has attended a wide
range of events, from large country fairs
and comic conventions, to charity events
and corporate morale days. At every
event we have drawn a crowd; people
are genuinely interested in what we have
to offer. It’s not every day you see a 14ft
python, a tarantula as big as your hand,
or a tawny owl up close and personal.
The most frequent piece of feedback we
receive is how well our service works
in ‘bringing the family together’. Even
events where you would not expect to
see something like ourselves, such as
food festivals, have enquired about our
services in order to ensure their more adult
themed event has a child friendly element,
thus keeping all members of the family
entertained! Children especially enjoy the
experience of learning about the different
creatures we bring, as well as having the
opportunity to get physically ‘hands on’
with animals they would ordinarily never
have access to. An important note to add is
that we do not perform at set times, we are
fully interactive with the public throughout
the entire show day/session.
How does your business model work?
The business model works on a hire fee
basis. Standard hire includes the use of
our purpose-built exhibition trailer, fully
trained animal handlers, as well as a
wide range of exotic animals (mileage fee
calculated in addition to ‘trailer hire’ cost).
What options do you offer for small,
medium and large budgets?
We recognise the need for flexibility, from
both a price perspective and with regards
to what we can offer. We can tailor our
packages to suit all budgets and event
sizes, both indoors and outdoors. Although
our exhibition trailer is the most popular
option, especially for outdoor events, we
are also geared up to provide professional
table top type set-ups. This option
utilises fun backdrops, camouflage table
coverings, and animals presented in their
own mini-display environments.
How has your attraction impacted an
event you have attended?
In August 2016, Tropical Roadshow
attended the Denbigh and Flint Show, a
large local country event suitable for the
whole family. As previously mentioned,
people are attracted to the uniqueness
of our business. The public is used to
domesticated animals and livestock,
whereas most individuals have never
experienced the types of animals we work
with. Due to this, we were certainly able
to draw a crowd, what with people mainly
associating Denbigh and Flint as a purely
agricultural show. Adults and children
alike commented on how fantastic it was
to interact and learn about less commonly
known species of animal. As a result of the
impact we had on the entire show, we were
hugely fortunate to win 1st prize for the
best trade stand in attendance.
John Lowery, operations
director
Hire A Funfair
01759 371844
www.hireafunfair.com
Describe the importance of the
entertainment you offer at public events
A concern for organisers of events is how
to keep everyone entertained. One way of
doing this can be funfair attractions; either
by hiring them in, so all guests ride for free,
or charging an operator a fee to attend
– they then charge the guests. If you are
organising an event and looking for a ‘wow’
factor then funfair rides and games could be
the answer.
How does your business model work?
Our business model is built around making
sure the client gets what they want within
their budget, and that the attractions we
supply are first class in presentation, and
are safely operated and maintained.
What options do you offer for small,
medium and large budgets?
Some small family events have children’s
rides such as the Cups and Saucers whilst
larger festivals go with much bigger and
more thrilling rides such as roller coasters
and giant wheels. Costs for hiring rides
start from £300 to £15,000 for the larger
rides. The most common for corporate and
private events are Ferris Wheels, Dodgems,
Carousels and Waltzers.
How has your attraction impacted an
event you have attended?
We have been involved in events for the
last 25 years around the UK. Our clients
have included the National Railway
Museum, Jaguar/Land Rover, the London
Fashion Show, Virgin Atlantic, Sky TV, Virgin
Media, Mars, Microsoft, Tesco, Sainsbury’s,
and many more. We have also attended
weddings, birthday parties and college
balls so have experience dealing with all
types of clients in all types of environments.
The common thread is that our funfair
attractions have been the focal point of all
their events.
60 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM