The heavy metal festival Bloodstock Open Air has signed Showsec to do the event’s security in a three-year contract. The 2014 event which will once again run at Catton Park in south Derbyshire in August.
Bloodstock was voted Best Medium Sized Festival at the 2012 UK Festival Awards and was given a similar accolade at the 2013 Live UK Music Awards. At the crowd management and security firm, Joe Milner, Showsec’s East Midlands Area Manager, said: “We are delighted to be offered this chance to play our part in a continuation of Bloodstock’s success story. This will be the fifth year that we have been involved at the festival and on each of the previous four occasions there has been a significant increase in interest.
“Whilst Bloodstock attracts a very dedicated crowd of metal fans, the atmosphere there certainly makes it one of the more enjoyable festivals at which we operate. We have specifically selected our staff from offices around the UK for their skills and experience in working such a unique festival environment.”
As well as Bloodstock Open Air attracting more than 12,000 fans in 2013, live streaming on the internet has also proved successful since its introduction with a massive increase in viewings from 209,000 in 2012 to over 1.2 million last year. The major contribution which Showsec have made to the growth of the event is certainly appreciated by the festival organisers, Paul Gregory and family.
Vicky Hungerford said: “We are totally committed to the safety of our audience, artists and crew, and Showsec bring a lot of experience in crowd management and security techniques to help us achieve that. It’s great to see how they tailor their operations so that they are appropriate for our Bloodstock audience and create the right kind of atmosphere.”
Adam Gregory added: “Showsec have added a considerable amount of value to the Bloodstock experience, so I wouldn’t dream of looking elsewhere for this service.”
