May/June 2021

PEOPLE
Newson, head of The Events Company UK. Their
event management practice has health and
safety at its heart – it’s not a bolt on but a positive
contribution to making an event brilliant.
At 2pm it’s time to start getting the audience
in. There is another layer of intrusion with the
checking. There is the Challenge 25 for the age
(at least 1,500 of the 3,000 we had on each of the
two days needed checking for age) and the lateral
flow test where attendees need to show photo
ID with their ticket and a negative test result. It
was like the first match of the season – everyone
was nervous. There were a few examples where
people brought photocopies rather than their
actual passports and they needed to go back and
get their originals.
The whole vibe was like a graduation ball.
Most of the medical incidents the amazing Spark
Medical had to deal with were alcohol related,
which makes sense as it was ‘the first dance’ after
all! For many it was their first official night out
with alcohol as they would have tuned 18 during
lockdown. We made provision for enhanced
medical as we knew this would be the case and it
was in our briefing, along with the fact that many
will have forgotten how to go to a gig!
The medical team was incredible and it was so
wonderful to see them in action at an event again
after 15 months. You forget that these guys were
at the front line of Covid during that time.
There were a few issues with the public
leaving; usually you’d get a 20 per cent drift off
before the end of the night as people leave to
go on somewhere else. But of course there is
nowhere else to go so the bump out happens all
at once. Liverpool’s taxi licencing department
and highways worked with us to create a traffic
management plan.
There was a high level of engagement between
attendees and staff, and everyone was just so
happy. It was reminiscent of the halcyon days
of London 2012 and the positive impact the
gamemakers had. The crowd temperament
that night was special – we were all passing
“THE CROWD TEMPERAMENT THAT NIGHT WAS SPECIAL – WE
WERE ALL PASSING ONE OF LIFE’S MILESTONES TOGETHER
AND THE BUZZ WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PLACE”
one of life’s milestones together and the buzz
went through the whole place. Seeing all the
staff together demonstrated what’s involved in
creating events – from the bar staff, the security,
the cleaners – not just the management. For me
it was so wonderful to be able to speak to them
all and thank them; it was a privilege to work with
them.
The show was amazing. I actually watched
from the stage with fellow professionals, all
observing this milestone event – Engine No.4’s
John Drape, SJM Concerts’ Simon Moran, Festival
Republic’s Melvin Benn and Scott Barton from
Cream. Usually I only make it up onto a stage at
10.59pm to turn the fun off at 11pm! But this time
I did go up and watch the crowd – it was just so
emotional to see them partying!
I am now crossing everything and using
every form of prayer assistance for the 21 June
reopening, which again looks like it might be
under threat. These pilot events have shown
that our brilliant events industry can do it but we
need the government to know it. That said, every
official involved was incredibly impressed at the
depth of management planning for these pilot
events and I am very proud that we had our safety
documents and operational plans signed off a
whole week early.
CIRCUS/JODY HARTLEY
ABOUT SYMPHOTECH
Symphotech is dedicated to supporting the delivery
of safe, compliant events. It comprises a team of
qualified event specialists with combined music and
public events industry expertise who work alongside
emergency services professionals to provide a
comprehensive safety service for event organisers.
www.symphotech.co.uk
ABOUT EDDY
Eddy Grant is a chartered safety and health
practitioner and is Symphotech’s legal and
safety consultant. With over 30 years of industry
experience, Eddy has worked with the Events
Industry Forum and HSE to significantly contribute
to the new Purple Guide. Specialising in event
safety, crowd management, and trained as an
expert witness in this area, Eddy is also Professor of
Professional Practice at the University of Cumbria
and will lead the University’s new IOSH accredited
Diplomas in Event Safety and Counter Terrorism.
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