Open Air Business April 2017

EVENTS
› what are the existing amenities - consider
water supply, power, outbuildings etc.
We have a wide range of fields listed on
Field Lover and large numbers of ‘field
seekers’ searching for land for a variety of
uses. As we head into summer and longer
evenings, land for outdoor events is in
high demand. When deciding whether to
hire your land for a public event it is worth
considering your type of event using the
‘low to high risk approach’.
A low risk event defines small scale
events that require a lower capital
investment, shorter planning period (+3
months) and generally have less than 1,000
attendees, such as:
› car boot sales
› charity fundraisers such as fêtes and dog
shows
› local food festivals or farmers markets
› theatrical performances
Medium risk applies to events which
require a larger investment and a longer
planning period (+6 months), these could
include:
› country shows
› car rallies
› sporting events, such as obstacle course
races and local horse shows
› local music festivals
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High risk events will have large attendee
numbers and complex infrastructure
such as staging, large scale amenities
and parking, or they may have a high-risk
element to them such as a firework display.
Initial investment is high and the planning
period would be +12 months. They might
include large music festivals.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Before planning any event, you need to ask
some important questions:
1) Who are my anticipated audience?
Family-focused events tend to be lower
risk than events aimed at young adults.
Consider requirements for visitors such as
the elderly or disabled - is the site suitable?
2) Where will visitors be travelling from?
Will your event attract visitors from further
afield? Consider what the impact of
increased footfall and traffic to the local
area during the event period might be.
3) Is my site big enough?
A small-scale event is usually considered
less than 1,000 attendees. For anything
larger it is well worth seeking help from
an event planner who has the knowledge,
skills, contacts and experience in planning
and organising larger scale events.
4) What is the timing of my event?
Events held during the daytime are lower
risk than those which run into the evening.
You’ll need to ensure adequate lighting
can be provided to assist visitors with
navigating the site after dark.
Next on your list is your Event Plan. Your
event should be well planned from the
outset, here you identify who is responsible
for each area, the tasks leading up to the
day, your list of actions and timeline to
ensure everything is covered before, during
and after the event, such as the clear up.
As a general rule, a low risk event will
require less planning, resources, licensing
and insurances than a higher risk event;
plan your timeline accordingly.
LICENCES AND NOTICES
Identify early on which licences you need
to apply for and what notices need to be
issued. Once this has been done, draft a
timeline to ensure you have all applications
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agreed and licences in place well before the
event day.
Your first point of call is your local
authority, this is the local authority where
your event will take place. Give details
of your event and they can advise on the
appropriate time scales for planning, who to
contact and any licence or other applications
that are required. Expect to give at least six
months’ advance notice for a large event
with more than 1,000 people attending, or
where public safety is a concern.
Don’t be put off by the thought of too
much red tape. It’s pretty straightforward
and can be helped by following simple
checklists, and breaking areas down into
a step by step approach can ensure the
process is painless. Planning an event can
be a lot of fun, very rewarding and profitable
for both the landowner and event organiser.
Careful planning and organisation ensures
your event is successful and safe.
For smaller, lower risk events allow a
minimum of three months for consultation
with all services that may be affected -
such as police, local authorities, fire and
rescue, ambulance service, emergency
planning department, event safety team and
Highways, as well as to notify all properties,
residences and businesses that may be
affected by your event.
Below are some other licences you may
need. As part of your enquiries and licence
submissions you may need to provide maps,
site or route plans.
Advance Notice – One month before your
event you or your organiser must post a
public advance notice stating the event
details and effect of the event – make sure
to describe any alternative route(s) available
to traffic.
› Temporary Event Notice (TEN) - Under the
Licensing Act 2003, some events may require
a licence or a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).
Apply to your local authority where your
event is being held, or online.
› Entertainment Licence – It’s worth noting
that it can take up to three months from
application for an Entertainment Licence.
› Film - If you plan to show a film publicly
you will need a Single Title Screening
Licence (STSL), obtainable online from BFI,
Filmbank and MPLC.
› Food and Drink - Will you be providing
food or alcoholic drinks, and if so is a license
or hygiene certificate required? It can take
up to six months for an application for a
Temporary Alcohol Licence, so ensure you
submit as early as possible.
› Fireworks, Chinese Lanterns or a
Bonfire - It can take up to one month for an
application for a firework display outside of
the bonfire night and New Year periods. This
must be submitted to the fire and rescue
service.
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