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Showsec in Hyde Park
The series of concerts held in London’s Hyde Park this summer spanned six weeks and required a dedicated security team on site throughout. Showsec devised and implemented the security plan for the backstage, two front-of-stage barriers and the viewing area between known as the golden circle.
The run of Clear Channel Entertainment events began with three sell-out gigs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on 19th, 20th and 25th June, the annual 95.8 Capital FM’s Party In The Park for The Prince’s Trust from 11th - 15th July with an historic return to the UK by Simon & Garfunkel.
With previous experience working in the Royal Parks, the Showsec management team arrived on site on 8th June, straight from the Download Festival. Showsec worked closely with many agencies, particularly the Royal Parks to maintain the integrity of the event site and ensure there was minimal disruption to everyday users of Hyde Park. As the build up began they coordinated the traffic management plan, setting up a one-way system whereby all vehicles were logged, searched and escorted on and off the site, the team also secured the perimeter fence of the event site which extended from North Carriage Drive, near Marble Arch, to the bottom of the park at Queen Mother’s Gate at Hyde Park Corner.
Showsec devised a comprehensive backstage security plan for the show days, working with health and safety consultants MRL and other security companies on event days. Project managers Simon Battersby, Mark Logan and Steve Reynolds led a 240-strong team on show-days to cover backstage hospitality areas, the primary and secondary stage barriers, the golden circle and its entrances and exits. For the Chili Peppers and Party In The Park events, the secondary stage barriers had up to 65,000 people behind them, which resulted in the welfare of the fans next to the barrier and security in that area requiring complete cohesion of the Showsec team to ensure everyone remained safe.
Showsec’s southern regional manager, Simon Battersby (pictured) said: “We have enjoyed a great relationship with Clear Channel’s John Probyn and Andy Pearson in implementing a long and sensitive security plan over the weeks. I think our management and staff who were on site should be proud of their achievements.”
The Showsec approach to crowd management had to reflect the dramatically changing audience profiles across the different artists. At the three Red Hot Chili Pepper shows there was a rock audience, complete with crowd surfing, the Party In The Park audience was a family audience, many of whom had never been to concerts before, and a quarter of the audience for the Simon & Garfunkel concert was seated in front of the stage, which brought a completely different logistical challenge.
John Probyn, Clear Channel Entertainment’s Event Director for this run of shows, commented: “The atmosphere has been great at all of these shows. Showsec worked with us throughout to ensure being in Hyde Park was a great experience for the audiences and guests.”
29th July 2004
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