During lockdown , the EWS team began trading with private clients and got involved in retail and hospitality projects but Scaife says big outdoor events are where his passion lies : “ We can ’ t wait to get back out there , it ’ s been a long time coming .”
Peppermint Bars and Events founder Adam Hempenstall says his team has been preparing for the year ahead while working on its Between the Bridges venue space that will come to London ’ s Southbank at the end of May . The new 1,000-capacity outdoor venue will be located next to the London Eye . Hempenstall expects around 50,000 visitors a week at the venue , which is co-owned and operated by the Mighty Hoopla festival team .
He says he is working with clients to plan for different scenarios , both full capacity and Covid-safe versions of events , and he is confident the sector will bounce back : “ Clearly there could be some supplier issues due to demand towards the end of the summer but if anyone can pull it off , our industry can .”
Hempenstall says Peppermint has suffered a 90 % drop in turnover during the past year , and has had to let some of his team go . To bring in muchneeded revenue , the company has been providing bar consultancy services to clients and venues up and down the UK , as well as operating on its own pop-up events .
The company has operated at Covid-safe socially distanced events during the summer , including Pub in the Park ’ s Drive-in Garden Party , and Soul Circus festival in Cheltenham .
“ They were not very lucrative but it was more about getting the team back out working at
“ Clearly there could be some supplier issues due to demand towards the end of the summer but if anyone can pull it off , our industry can .”
Adam Hempenstall , Peppermint Bars and Events events again ,” he says . “ I never thought I ’ d say this , but being back on site does wonders for your mental health .”
Nick Crow , event production manager at London-based Bar Live Events ( formerly B-Line ), says it is incredibly important that his company has personal relationships with its partners , which include the Cambridge Folk Festival and Glastonbury , to deliver successful first post- Covid events .
“ A unified approach means we all understand what the objective is and how this can be achieved to offer a firstclass customer experience ,” he says .
He adds that the company ’ s team has been kept busy taking online health and safety courses and that colleagues in Australia have been providing advice following their experience of planning and running Covid-safe events down under .
Bar Live Events has also been exploring how to tap into growing trends over the past year , particularly the rise in popularity of non-alcoholic beers and gins , and Crow says he is also preparing the company for the “ treat yourself ” mentality when events return , with premium products set to be in high demand .
He says , “ We ’ ve also taken the chance to expand any opportunities relating to our EPOS system and ensuring that when we ’ re back in action , our bars can serve with the best system out there .”
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