A surprise last minute decision from Lord Falconer, Minister of State at the DTLR, agreed with Save London's Theatres Campaign's request to 'call-in' Westminster’s decision to demolish the Westminster Theatre. Falconer's finding has given new heart to the campaign which had all but given up hope of a reprieve for this unique theatre and arts centre. The final decision on its fate will now be in the hands of the Secretary of State following a full Public Inquiry which is likely to take place this summer.

The Secretary of State has declared that he is 'very selective' about 'calling-in' planning applications, and usually only takes this step if 'planning issues of more than local importance are involved' and 'that the application is one that he ought to decide himself because he considers the proposals may conflict with national and regional policies on important matters.' This vin

Rental Management Systems, provider of advanced software systems for the entertainment industry, has recently completed one of its most comprehensive multi-site systems installations to date, for European staging rental company, Stageco.

Founded in Belgium in 1985, Stageco now has rental operations in Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Germany and the USA, and has serviced some of the world’s most high-profile tours, sporting events and festivals, counting the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Pink Floyd, U2 and Robbie Williams among its clients.

The company stocks in excess of 7,000 different products - sometimes holding as many as 10,000 examples of each - making for a stock-holding which numbers literally millions of items. Consequently, the logistics of tracking movement and availability presents a huge administrative effort, hence why the company turned to RMS.

The system that

The ABTT Show, which attracts over 100 exhibitors from across the wide spectrum of supplies and services necessary to stage a production or equip a theatre building, will set up base once again at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London from 19-20 June.

In addition to the main exhibition, there is also a complementary programme of theatre-related seminars, which includes the following. Revitalising Health & Safety: Eric Pirie, a health & safety inspector, will discuss publicly funded bodies and the Government in relation to key pieces of Health & Safety Legislation, together with a discussion of the role of the Broadcasting & Performing Arts Joint Advisory Committee.

Sound System Design in the Theatre: John Taylor of d&b audiotechnik UK Ltd will look at issues of sound intelligibility and in particular, the acoustic part of the signal path between the loudspeaker and the listeners&

Moving Pictures is a new touring exhibition exploring the experience of going to the cinema and watching television, celebrating both the past and present, as well as looking to the future of digital technology.

The exhibition showcases favourites from the extensive collection of film and television material held by the BFI chosen from thousands of films, programmes and production materials. David Atkinson Lighting Design was contacted by Land Design Studio to come up with a cost effective, flexible and dynamic lighting design to cope with the scope and scale of the exhibits, as well as the touring schedule. Land devised a bespoke modular steel system, with the resulting architectural solution having something of a warehouse feel.

As the designers wanted to use colour to define areas within the exhibition, Atkinson chose to use a large quantity of Encapsulite fluorescent fittings,

PLASA’s Association Day, incorporating the AGM and break-out meetings followed by dinner and entertainment, will take place at the Down Hall Country House Hotel on 14 June.

All PLASA members were recently mailed a flyer (pictured above) containing full details and booking information on the day’s events. We would like to remind you to return your booking forms to the PLASA Office as soon as possible. The event provides an unmissable opportunity to meet with other members, the PLASA committee and staff, to learn about what the Association is doing on your behalf and to discuss issues that are important to you.

Contact:

As part of its long-term strategy to address the industry's concerns over training, PLASA has appointed a full-time training development manager. Nicky Greet (pictured) will be tasked with collating current training information, identifying and addressing areas in which tailored training schemes are required.

PLASA's Matthew Griffiths commented: "Concerns about the lack of suitable training in the entertainment technology industry have been voiced for some time, and PLASA originally scheduled this appointment into its long-term strategy as part of its first five-year plan in 2000. During 2001, we conducted a programme of research into the issue with the aid of our members, which enabled us to move on to the next stage. I am very pleased to have now reached this point in the process, and I welcome Nicky to our team at Eastbourne."

Nicky's first task will be to formulate a Tr

Unusual Services Ltd are main contractors for the massive Golden Jubilee weekend celebrations that are happening in The Mall, Green Park, St. James’s Park, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park and at the Queen Victoria Memorial.

The company is supplying all technical infrastructure, co-ordination, site and production management for this mind-boggling task, working closely with show producer Major Sir Michael Parker and the Golden Jubilee Weekend Trust. Unusual has employed over 250 sub-contractors and mounted a major logistical exercise to ensure the event - being broadcast live worldwide - is a well-oiled operation. To this end, the company has been interfacing with various authorities including Westminster City Council Special Events, the Metropolitan Police, Royal Parks, the GLA, the WRVS, London Underground, London Ambulance, St. John Ambulance and the British Red Cross.

The event i

PSL has announced that it has been awarded a certificate of approval by the BVQI. The award states that the Quality Management Systems in place have been assessed and found to be in accordance with the requirements of Quality Standards, as set out under BS EN ISO 9001:2000. This is the latest internationally recognised standard of Quality Management Systems, established in December 2000 and supersedes previous standards issued in 1994.

PSL is the first (and currently the only) rental and staging company to be awarded this accreditation. The process involves an ongoing quality audit by an independent professional body and covers all operating divisions within PSL, who have qualified independently in their own areas of expertise. Gary Davis, managing director of PSL stated: "This accreditation illustrates our ongoing commitment to providing the highest levels of service to our custo

A blustery afternoon set the scene for an industry five-a-side football tournament in late May hosted by Fourth Phase London. Creative Stages, DHA Lighting, Vari-Lite, White Light and the Fourth Phase team were out in full force for the five hour session.

Despite a fiercely fought semi-final between Vari-Lite and White Light, particularly as the scores drew closer, there was an atmosphere of fun and a great day out was had by all. As the final whistle sounded, the scoreboard read Fourth Phase as the winners, with Vari-Lite as runners up, followed by White Light, Creative Stages and DHA. DHA were 'compensated' with wooden spoons that have since taken pride of place on their desks. Louise Tester, UK & Eire sales manager at DHA, also received a plaque for being the only female willing to take part! Sadly, for all his pains, Nigel 'the cat' Sadler only got a pain in his back, having spen

The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations, held over the long weekend of 1-4 June, not only celebrated 50 years of Elizabeth II’s reign, but also had the added bonus of providing a stunning showcase for the UK’s entertainment technology industry, watched by television audiences worldwide. The cream of the UK’s design, production, staging, rigging, lighting, sound and pyrotechnics specialists combined to create a lavish display which has drawn praise from across the world and will be remembered for many years to come.

The BBC-produced Garden Concerts at Buckingham Palace and the surrounding infrastructure through central London included a roll-call of experts that would be familiar to any top-flight rock tour or major spectacular, including Mark Fisher (design), Robbie Williams (production management), Edwin Shirley Staging, XL Video, Screenco, Fourth Phase, VLPS L

With an exclusive Behind the Scenes tour, PLASA Media is offering a unique opportunity for you to take a privileged technical tour of two of London’s best-known entertainment institutions - the wonderfully atmospheric and newly refurbished Royal Albert Hall, and the fascinating Tussauds Group Studios, the creative heart of the world-famous visitor attraction specialist.

Behind the Scenes will take place on Thursday 12 September, immediately following the PLASA Show at Earls Court - one of the highlights of the entertainment technology industry calendar. As a participant in the tour, you will be transported by coach from Earls Court Exhibition Hall to the Royal Albert Hall, where you will be conducted on a backstage tour encompassing the breadth of the venue’s recently-completed £70 million refurbishment. The tour will take you through front-of-house and the historic audito

PLASA’s ‘Association Day’, held at Down Hall Country House Hotel on 14 June and incorporating the Association’s AGM, was a great success, attended by a record number of PLASA members. In an effort to gain maximum value from the opportunity offered by the AGM, PLASA again organized a number of Break-out Meetings following the AGM, which gave members the chance to discuss important issues concerning Membership Services, Standards/Health & Safety and Training. These lively sessions raised valuable feedback for the PLASA Executive Committee and staff, and were well-received by all who took part.

Following the ‘business’ of the day, around 100 people sat down to an enjoyable dinner with entertainment provided by two guest speakers - ex-footballer Paul Fletcher and impressionist Kevin Connelly - before retiring to the bar for some serious networking. Wayne

ESTA’s new theatrical fog testing programme invites theatres to take a proactive role in the ongoing fog conversation and also to demonstrate that they are using theatrical fog responsibly. Because there are clear standards and guidelines that detail the responsible use of fog - including guidelines endorsed by Actors’ Equity - theatres that demonstrate that they are using fog according to these accepted standards should alleviate performers’ and crew members’ concerns.

The programme, ‘’A Test Is Worth A Thousand Words,’ gives theatres in the US the information and support they need to monitor and test all types of fog, including glycol/glycerin, mineral oil, dry ice/liquid CO2 and liquid nitrogen fogs. Venues can then compare results to accepted standards and guidelines and advise performers and crew members that the theatre monitors and tests

The PSA newsletter recently carried a story to make grown technicians weep. Apparently, staff at Cardiff Theatre were furious to discover that a duck appearing in a play was being paid more than they were. Ming, a two-year old Aylesbury duck, appeared at the Chapter Arts Centre in ‘The mute who was dreamed’. "Ming is getting paid more than our technician," marketing manager Carol Jones told the South Wales Echo, "and he is not happy about it". The duck’s high wages have also led to allegations that it is not pulling its weight in the performance and that its acting is not vigorous enough. "When the show was put on in Scotland another duck was used," said Jones, "It was much more macho."

Some of the following key announcements or changes will have an important impact on all employers. The Information Commission’s ‘Employment Practices Data Protection Code’ is being published in stages over the next few months. The code will include ground rules on access by employees to any company record that mentions them including confidential e-mails, handwritten notes and personal files.

The Code is being issued in four sections, namely: general record management, recruitment and selection, monitoring in the workplace and genetic and drug testing of workers. Not all the Code will be binding, but it will outline what the Information Commissioner believes is best practice for employers wishing to comply with the Data Protection Act and/or avoid criminal liability. The part of the DPA concerning manual records including e-mail monitoring and the interception of pho

The controversial proposed reforms to the Employment Bill aim to substantially enhance areas such as maternity, paternity and parental leave, continue the reform of the employment tribunal system and make important changes to the law of unfair dismissal. All of these are expected to come into effect by, or during, April 2003.

Some of the key points in the proposed legislation and the new duties employers will face if enacted are:

Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave and Pay.

Six months’ paid and a further six months’ unpaid maternity leave for working mothers.

Six months’ paid and a further six months’ unpaid leave for working adoptive parents.

Two weeks’ paid paternity leave for working fathers.

A 60% increase in the rate of statutory maternity pay (SMP) to £100 per week.

Reimbursement of maternity, paternity and adoption payments made by

Following its recent relocation to new UK offices in Langley, Berkshire, Osram invited L&SI to visit its new premises and, in particular, view the new interactive showroom that is set to become the focal point of the UK headquarters.

This is not a ‘showroom’ in the traditional sense - though its intention is very much to showcase the latest lamp innovations from the company - but more of an interactive experience, hence the name ‘Osram Light Experience’. Stretching across over 200sq.m and incorporating a café, light studio and auditorium, the venue can work as a single space or be split into two areas by a ‘light wall’, allowing different groups to visit the studio simultaneously.

It is clear that the design team from Furneaux Stewart, led by Jane Huggins and Keith Feeney, understood Osram’s brief for something out of the ordinary all too

The Queen's Award for Enterprise 2002 was presented to Theatre Projects Consultants in the Vanbrugh Theatre at the Royal Academy for Performing Arts (RADA) on 12th June 2002. The presentation was made by Major Charles Winstanley on behalf of HM the Queen to Richard Pilbrow, chairman and David Staples, managing director of Theatre Projects Consultants.

The Queen's Award is conferred each year upon a limited number of companies for international trade, innovation or sustainable development. Over 150 guests attended the presentation including Lord Attenborough, the President of the Royal Academy of Performing Arts, and many people from the theatrical and architectural professions.

(Ruth Rossington)

Employees of PLASA member companies can benefit from reduced fees at PA/VA 2002, a two-day programme, co-sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), aimed at anyone in the industry who would like to learn more about what is involved in specifying, designing, installing or certifying Public Address and Voice Alarm systems for safe public evacuation. The programme will run on 9 & 10 July 2002 at Regent's Park, London.

Visit www.isce.org.uk for full programme and discount details, or telephone Cathy Mackenzie on

From its now established base at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London, the ABTT Show continues to underline its role as a key event for the theatre industry. The trade show, which took place last week, attracted well over 100 exhibitors from across the wide spectrum of supplies and services, as a result pulling in over 2,500 visitors.

ABTT’s emphasis on training and education was demonstrated by the wide-ranging seminar programme which accompanied the event, but the highlight was the ABTT Dinner staged on the first evening where Major Sir Michael Parker, famed for his work on such events as the Royal Tournament and more recently All the Queens Horses, was the guest speaker. The Awards announced during the Dinner recognized the work of sound designer Andrew Bruce of Autograph Sound who collected a Lifetime Achievement Award, whilst the Technician of the Year award went to Nick

Britannia Row really pushed the boat out for the PSA, transforming its London warehouse into a mini venue for a PSA Get Together on the evening of June 12th. Mike Lowe and Bryan Grant demonstrated their corporate hospitality expertise, laying on food and drink and providing audio and visual entertainment for the near 100 attendees. Brit Row’s warehouse, usually home to flightcases and equipment was completely cleared and 'dressed' so that it resembled a well appointed night club. No mean feat!

Guests ranged from well-known industry figures to those at the beginning of their careers: whatever their background or experience, the evening gave an opportunity for everyone to mix and talk over the recent Jubilee celebrations. £400 was raised for the Welfare & Benevolent Fund in a raffle organised by Brit Row with prizes donated by Telex Shuttlesound, Yamaha and Brit Row.

(Lee Baldoc

News has come in this week that Nexus Media (part of the Highbury House Communications Group) has decided to put on hold the publication of two of its titles serving this industry - Live! and Disco International (DI) - part of the portfolio which also includes DJ magazine and Making Music. Both titles are well known in the industry - DI has been one of the main magazines addressing the late night venue market, whilst Live! has concentrated on the live performance industry.

Although we’ve contacted Nexus for comment, there has been no official announcement from the company as to why the decision has been taken. We’ll feature more on this story in our July issue.

(Ruth Rossington)

The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and Glasgow City Council have signed the deal awarding the management contract and a 21-year lease of the King’s Theatre to ATG. As a result, the company takes over the operation of the theatre on 28 September 2002, the date of contract completion.

Rosemary Squire, executive director at ATG said: "We are delighted that all the negotiations have been concluded successfully, and we are very much looking forward to taking this historic theatre forward under the guidance of the new chief executive David Williams and his team." ATG’s central aim for the King’s is to present high quality and accessible entertainment. This means programming well-known musicals, popular drama, variety, comedy, amateur productions, work for children and a traditional Scottish pantomime. The autumn season therefore includes visits from West Side

ECA2 were honoured on 13 June this year at the annual awarding of FICHE prizes, organised to recognise French companies in the field of special events. ECA2 obtained the competition's two most prestigious prizes. Firstly, the ‘Grand Prix’ for an Institutional Event, won by the ECA2 evening spectacle ‘Luces y Voces del Tajin’ (Lights and Voices of El Tajin). This ECA2 production, commissioned by the government of Veracruz state, Mexico, took place in March.

Secondly, the ‘Grand Prix’ for a General Public Event - designated by a unanimous jury - for the evening show at Expo 01 in Yamaguchi, Japan, entitled ‘Kirara Starlight Fantasy’. On the same day in Berlin, at the TILE (Trends in Leisure and Entertainment) International Conference, Yves Pepin, ECA2's president and creative director, was honoured with the Award for Product of the Year for

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