March/April 2022

EVENTS
for the festival scene, other than confirm
it is going to be a tough year with people’s
disposable income stretched to the limits.
The sun is shining, the music is ready, all
we need now is customers who can afford
to come. Mr Sunak will be hearing from us
again...
I would suggest that readers join with
many others in the events industry and write
to the chancellor, inviting him to join with us
to meet government climate change targets.
He can help us do this by taking fuel duty off
biofuels and alternatives as well as taking off
the VAT. This would help our industry in this
recovery year and give us a chance to get
fuels sorted without further 2022 expenses.
From the
HAE EHA
Changes to the law concerning the
use of red diesel came into effect
on 1 April, affecting thousands of
hire companies across the UK. Hire
Association Europe and Event Hire
Association (HAE EHA) is urging its
members and the wider hire industry
to ensure they are fully aware of the
changes to avoid finding themselves
on the wrong side of the law.
Previously, rebated gas oil (red
diesel) and rebated biofuels could
be legally used for any machine
which is not a road vehicle eg.
mobile generators. From 1 April, this
entitlement was removed for all but a
handful of specific sectors, including
farming, forestry and communitybased
landscaping such as hedge and
verge cutting. Any individual found
guilty of breaching the new regulations
may be subject to criminal sanctions
and fines, and HMRC can also seize
vehicles and machines found to be
running unlawfully on red diesel.
There is no requirement to flush out
engines, and any rebated fuel still in
tanks can be used up after 1 April, so
long as it can be proved that it was
put into the vehicle or machine legally
prior to the changeover date.
HAE EHA has taken a number of
actions including creating revised
terms and conditions of hire and
putting in place training and general
guidance. Anyone who would like to
know more about how the changes in
regulations might affect them can get
in touch with HAE EHA on 0121 380
4600.
Yet
More
Cost
Rob Chapman, director of Craft in Focus which runs
some of the country’s largest craft and design fairs,
illustrates the cost implications of banning red diesel
AS THE organiser of some of the
country’s largest craft and design
fairs we are very concerned about the
government’s decision to prohibit the
use of red diesel at events.
Over the last two years the event
industry has been among the hardest
hit. We all understand the need to cut
greenhouse gases, and the removal of
use of red diesel is being billed as a way
forward to encourage greener options
and reduce the use of fuel. But what are
the alternatives? As yet, there are none
that are cost effective, so our running
costs will just have to increase.
All our events require diesel
generators to provide power, but
even with the change to low energy
equipment, the amount of fuel used
is still significant. The removal of red
diesel for generators will increase our
costs by around £800 or so for most
summer based events. The problem
really hits hardest at our winter events
where our heating units have been
fuelled by red diesel. Three years ago at
our November fair (our largest event)
we had almost daily fuel deliveries as
the heating used over 10,000 litres of
fuel. If we had not had access to red
diesel the increase would have been
around £4,500.
We could change to Kerosene for the
heating, which is cheaper than white
diesel, but would require separate
storage and delivery as we still need
diesel for the generators. The extra
delivery and storage adds more cost
again. If we use white diesel then we
will also have to increase security as
keeping the fuel on site is likely to
attract unwanted attention, so yet more
costs.
As with most companies we are
already running to tight budgets, but
this addition makes a huge impact to
the viability of our autumn and winter
events. Yet again the events industry
is being hit by lack of government
thought.
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