to some Covid-19 test centres on a long-term hire basis .”
Despite having “ quite eventspecific ” infrastructure , Warden says IPS looked at other market sectors that have been able to continue trading during the pandemic . As a result , it has won film and TV production company clients , a sector it had not operated in previously . The work included supplying the roof structure that was used as the drive-in cinema-style studio for the recent season of BBC One show Top Gear .
A WELL-STRUCTURED APPROACH
In light of the prime minister ’ s recent roadmap announcement , the company recently launched a deposit guarantee scheme to help event organisers get their infrastructure secured .
Says Warden , “ We ’ re encouraging all customers to get their bookings confirmed as soon as possible and we ’ ve launched the scheme to increase confidence . There are already popular clusters of dates
IPS supplied the roof structure for Top Gear appearing where outdoor roof structures are set to be fully booked if all goes ahead . xto have multiple structures available from our own stock , so lots of events can be covered , but need careful scheduling and planning to all work together to manage the capacity .”
While acknowledging the past year has been tough , Dan Owen , sales director at Ascot Structures , says his company has been “ pretty lucky ” compared to others in the industry .
The Oxfordshire-based company provided tents for Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace last September , which Owen says went phenomenally well .
He says , “ We were very lucky to be the sole structure supplier and it was also an opportunity for us to do a launch of our Orangery tent .
“ We ’ re significantly luckier than other event-orientated companies because what we do has a lot more versatility to it . A structure can be used to hold a party but can equally be used as a storage space , or a classroom or a dining room – the list is
“ There are already popular clusters of dates appearing where outdoor roof structures are set be fully booked if all goes ahead .”
limitless . We ’ ve been able to ply our trade in a slightly different fashion over the past 12 to 15 months .”
Owen says the company provided services for various eateries , academic institutions and hospitals , as well as Team GB archery . Alongside Salon Privé , the company worked on Christmas event Lapland UK . “ That was all going great guns until they were forced to close two weeks early ,” he says .
LOOKING AHEAD
Dan Owen , Ascot Structures
Chalk says MUTA welcomes the prime minister ’ s recent roadmap announcement and says its members now have the ability to plan with some degree of certainty .
Matt Stephens , director of Event in a Tent , says his company , which recently moved into a bigger warehouse in Llangollen , Wales , is working on new products to help deal with the sudden demand : “ These vary from creating pop-up glamping villages targeting the staycation market , dining pods aimed
Tom Warden , Impact Production Services
Tom Warden , Impact Production Services
Scott Jameson , GL Events
at the hospitality industry – predominantly sales but also rental – and increasing the range of geodome sizes we have available .”
As for Ascot Structure ’ s preparations , Owen says , “ It ’ s a tough situation because events obviously have quite a long planning lead time . We ’ re keen to get going but the billing clock doesn ’ t start when we start installing the event . There ’ s a lot of work in the lead-up to get ‘ event ready ’ – the staff , the vehicles , the cleaning and checking of the kit , making sure that the insurance policy is in place , and the training . So , we need to have the people onsite , and we need to be paying them .” Jameson says GL Events is in talks with its regular clients including Silverstone , Ascot and Goodwood . Meanwhile , the team is working on maintenance projects and preparing its stock .
He says , “ The team is going through additional training in health and safety , and we ’ re using the furlough period to get the kit ready so we are prepared for the summer , which I think will be a busy one .”
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