Brought in by Richmond Event Management, it was AP Security's first time at the event and something rather different from the live music circuit which tends to dominate the company's summer workload.
"We were really looking forward to the new challenges that the Fiesta presented," says AP's northern regional manager Simon Miller. "As always we started planning well in advance, in this case in April, and attended monthly meetings in Bristol where all the partners would meet and discuss the event and their roles within it."
AP's staff covered the entire site except the car parks, including all staff gates and public entrances.
"It is a festival of gates, so to speak," Simon continues. "Making sure each gate works in tandem with the others is the real key to smooth operation."
"When organising a complex event like the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, it is crucial to ensure you've got the right team around you," says Ben Hardy of the event's organising committee. "Providing access control and stewarding at the Fiesta is a crucial part of the mix - checking accreditation and assisting our visitors might seem a simple task, but the manner in which its done is important.
"AP Security has the right blend of a personnel to enable us to check pass holders and assist the public with a smile on their face and, most importantly, a bit of common sense when required."
(Jim Evans)
