Is it me or was this summer hotter, brighter and more pleasant than we’ve had for a while? The stats seem to back this up, with less rain and more sunshine throughout April, August, and record temperatures in September.
From an events industry perspective, spectators and visitors seemed to want to escape the gloom of a turbulent economic and political summer, and get out there and enjoy themselves. At GL events UK, we played our part in a wonderful summer of events, which is why we’re all feeling a little chipper at the moment (as well as perhaps a little exhausted!).
I talk a lot about the privilege we have of working with some of the most iconic sporting events on the planet, every summer. And maybe this explains the generally sunny outlook we have at GL events UK. As I write we’ve already installed and dismantled temporary structures and seating grandstands at Royal Ascot, The 145th Open at Troon, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, AEGON Tennis, and Formula E. These are huge events which bring in a global audience on the day and reach an even bigger audience via television and satellite.
We’ve also been at some amazing festivals and music events: CarFest, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival, V Festival, Taste of London and The Big Feastival. These are increasingly becoming part of the picture of a British Summer and remain some of the most vibrant, creative and enjoyable events around. They’ve been a wonderful, growing addition to our summers for some time.
I also talk about the responsibility of being involved in these events, which is why, at the beginning of the year, we made sure our products and materials were ship-shape and shiny. We invested £½ million in refining details that would have been noticeable to spectators who were able to turn away from the high-class sport and music for just a second.
For most of the summer our warehouse stood empty, with bursts of activity as materials were rushed in, refreshed, and shipped out to form part of another iconic event. It’s an exciting time for us. We feel the same energy as our customers every time we get closer to the big occasions.
If you want it in stats, over this season alone we:
- Partnered with 220+ events
- Set up over a quarter of a million square meters of structures
- Which held a more than 2 million people
- Utilised over 7,500 employee-days to get them up and take them down
- And partnered with events all over the UK, from Troon to Bournemouth
In short, it’s been an exceptional summer for GL events UK. I was incredibly proud of the professionalism of our teams in delivering the exacting standards of our clients, and we are all proud of the contribution we made to ensuring these wonderful events continue to be seen as the high watermark of global experiences.
So, as the summer season draws to a close, we look ahead to colder months: different solutions for different applications. From summer to winter – conferences, corporate events, exhibitions, parties, theatre, festive events, Christmas markets, more music and a little more sport.
Scott Jameson, GL events UK Group Managing Director
