Cut the red tape, let’s
build temporary venues
11
Digest
Mash Media MD Julian Agostini calls on the government to
allow the building of temporary structures in Royal Parks and
commons to facilitate economic growth through events
here is an adage that
has seldom been
more appropriate in
my lifetime: crisis
breeds invention.
There can be no question
that we are in unprecedented
times, and the events
industry will need all its
resolve and creativity to
bounce back with a flourish...
when it is safe to do so.
Fortunately, those are the
precise ingredients that you
will find in the individuals and
companies that serve our
wonderful industry, so I am
confident that we will come
back stronger.
The landscape has
changed, maybe forever. So,
what are we doing to adapt
and to stay ahead of the
curve?
As we are all in lockdown,
there is no better time to
plan, create, design, and let
our thoughts run wild a little.
Frankly, there is not much
else we can do.
We want to hear all your
crazy thoughts and dreams,
as this is the time to try them.
The public and the business
world will be more receptive
to new ideas now than ever
before. In fact, there will
probably never be a better
opportunity to operate
outside the box.
Communities and audiences
will understand the logic of
new angles and may well
adopt them. Why not
experiment; it is a free hit.
There is going to be a huge
appetite for events when
social distancing is relaxed,
and events can run once
more. We should be looking
to cram the calendar full right
through Autumn and Winter.
However, where are we
going to house all these
events; those that have been
postponed and those already
scheduled?
I am calling on the
government, and local
authorities, to relax the red
tape and to let us build
temporary structures in our
Royal Parks and on our
commons up and down the
country, to give these
economically crucial events a
temporary home while our
usual venues continue to
operate as hospitals, saving
lives and contributing to the
national effort (when it is
safe, of course).
As an industry, we are
proud to help our NHS. All we
“Events are the
facilitator of
growth. Are you
going to ensure
this growth?"
Above: Julian Agostini,
MD, Mash Media
www.conference-news.co.uk
ask is that you give us a
temporary home for our
exhibitions, conferences, and
concerts which will be
fundamental in the rebuilding
of both the national and local
economies.
This is not such an
outlandish idea. In 1851, the
Crystal Palace was erected in
Hyde Park, before being
moved to the eponymous
suburb in South London.
Home to the Great Exhibition,
the Crystal Palace was a
monument of great national
pride, housing exhibits from
the empire to the latest
innovations, such as the
world’s first mechanical
television.
Today, the events industry
contributes £70bn to UK
economy annually. This
money doesn’t come from
thin air, it comes from the
marketing budgets of every
other industry. Events are the
facilitator of growth. Are you,
the government, going to
ensure this growth? Let us
borrow the land.
What we are proposing
today does not need to be
grand structures like the
Crystal Palace around the
UK, we have suppliers of
large temporary structures
lining up with interest. If the
Victorians can do it, then so
can we. And if you don’t,
someone else will.
The demand could be very
high so make sure you’re
ready to meet it. Get in touch.