Now in their 13th year, the Forestry Commission’s Forest Live concerts are an established part of the UK’s summer outdoor music season. Pictured by Scott Wilson are Blondie at Westonbirt in the Cotswolds. AP Security supplies crowd management and safety services at all seven sites and, this year, they were asked to work at a new event in Northampton.
Paul Weller, Paloma Faith, The Charlatans, James, The Script, Elvis Costello, Olly Murs, Jessie J and Jools Holland headlined a total of 23 Forest Live shows through June and July this year, the majority of which were sold out. The nature – both figurative and literal – of the sites hosting combined audiences of over 125,000 presented different challenges to many venues.
AP national sales manager, John Phillips, says: “Each site has its own quirks and variables in terms of access, car parking and so on. After over a decade of working closely with the Forestry Commission and programming and production company DB Event Services, we have a lot of experience of making the shows run safely. But we never take anything for granted, each year we go through the whole planning process because a lot of changes can take place at the sites since the previous year.”
DB Event Services’ David Barrow says: “With AP Security looking after the artists backstage and the customers in the arena, I would say 2013 was one of the smoothest set of Forest Live shows I have done in the 13 years. From my side AP played a major role in this smooth operation.”
AP’s success was also reflected by many positive comments from the public. Showgoer Sally Tillsley, who enjoyed the Paul Weller show at Westonbirt Arboretum, took the time to say: “I would like to congratulate the AP team that was at Westonbirt last night. They were such a happy, conscientious, professional team who provided fantastic service to us all. They continually provided cups of water and even earplugs, which was totally unexpected but we were very grateful for! I regularly attend many concerts and have not seen many good examples from security staff, but after last night my faith in human nature has been restored. So much so that I wanted to tell you how excellent the team were! Thank you to everyone involved.”
In planning Alive@Delapre – a new, three-day open-air event at Northampton’s Delapre Park – Northampton Borough Council’s events team approached David Barrow, who recommended AP.
“Part of my contract with the council for Delapre Park’s inaugural set of concerts was that the key proven production contractors used across the Forest Live shows should be used here, a move which made financial and operational sense,” he says.
AP provided staff covering arena, backstage, pit and pedestrian teams across the three different, sold-out shows; Paul Weller, James Morrison and The Wanted with Lawson.
“I can honestly say AP were fantastic at Delapre, playing a major part alongside others in the weekend’s success. The teams worked in a very slick manner, proving my recommendation was 110 per cent right. I look forward to another set of concerts with them at Delapre next year,” David adds.
This was echoed by the public attending the shows, with reports that the staff at the Northampton gig were amazing.
Matt Parsons of Northampton Borough Council’s events team says: “This was the first time we had worked with AP Security and their professionalism, quality customer service and how all members of staff came across were a credit to John Philips and his team. Their excellent customer service and knowledge of working on events of this type of event assisted with the success of Alive@Delapre. We have had a lot of customers contact us to say how good AP Security were. They were an integral part of our team before and over the weekend.”
With AP now confirmed as working alongside DB Event Services and Northampton Council for the next five years. Visit www.apsecurity.co.uk
