Showsec help to make rock history at Download 2010
Showsec successfully implemented a comprehensive security and crowd management operation at the largest ever Download this June, where 95,000 rock fans gathered for the festival’s historic 30th year.
Showsec Operations Director Simon Battersby was appointed as the festival’s Head of Security, prior to seven months strategic planning that led into coordinating 1300 security professionals and stewards at the event. Headline acts AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine and Aerosmith were among 125 bands entertaining the dedicated rock fans over three days. This was a challenging, highly complicated operation, as Simon explains:
“Live Nation were keen to have a more co-ordinated overriding security operation which managed the increased size and scale of Download this year more effectively. My new role within the festival management team meant that I engaged all stakeholders from Leicestershire police, licensing authorities, and the festival crime prevention team, to other contractors securing the campsite and car park areas. As a result, we consolidated the security operations across the site, sharing information, resources, and ensuring clear communication between all parties, which I am happy to say led to improved security for everyone on site.”
Steve Reynolds, Showsec’s Southern Regional Manager, oversaw the complex event security operation, which spanned the five stages, markets, entrances and perimeter. With such a vast area and so many staff, effective briefings and extensive planning were key to the operation’s success.
Steve says: “The crowd management at Download has always been a very carefully coordinated operation, maintaining the barriers and large numbers fans over five different stages. In addition, with AC/DC bringing their own stage this year, our teams in the main arena had to adapt their operation in line with the barrier and crowd layout changes that were the result of a change of stage between Friday night and Saturday morning.
“This style of high energy rock music is associated with an audience who like to crowd surf and whose boisterous behaviour can approach being (unintentionally) unsafe. Having said that, the crowd are here to party, are very co-operative and tend to look after each others well being. We initiated a couple of show-stops as careful monitoring spotted potentially dangerous situations developing and these prevented serious injuries. The five pit teams managed by John Hadland deserve credit, with high numbers coming over the barriers (for example 2,500 people coming over the barriers during Rage Against the Machine’s set alone).”
Key members of the Showsec team included Roy Wise, who managed gate security, mentoring Showsec Academy staff successfully so that by day three he could entrust and observe them managing the ingress. Richard Church oversaw all staff administration, which included coordinating the criminal record and licensing checks for every member of staff from across all three security providers; as well as maintaining staff well-being, ensuring they had appropriate uniforms, 2-way radios, accommodation and food throughout the event; and of course the sun cream and rain capes required at any UK festival!
Simon continues; “Download Festival 2010 was a historic year for Showsec as well as the festival itself. Our new management infrastructure successfully executed a huge, complex security and crowd management operation, meeting the demands of every stakeholder and improving the standards of safety of everyone on site.”
Category: Event Security, Festival News
About the Author (Author Profile)
Adam Parry is the editor for Event Industry News. If you would like to get in touch and learn more about Event Industry News email editor@eventindustrynews.co.uk.Subscribe
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