Jason Ward moves from his post at global conference and exhibition company Mice International to join as production manager. Ward, who moves from London to the company’s headquarters in Skipton, will manage technical design and resourcing, freelance production staff, and the scheduling, technical and administrative requi
Brad will be working in partnership with Nomad Cases, a manufacturer of custom-built flightcases, polypropylene cases and padded bags, based in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
(Lee Baldock)
Ron Bonner, PLASA’s new Health and Safety Standards Officer hopes that members will make use of the Forum to debate and offer comment on all aspects of Health and Safety issues that are having, or may have an impact, on the way in which they conduct their business. The Forum will also serve as a useful reference on how other members are approaching their duty to this very important and necessary area.
The Forum is open to members only and can be accessed via password by logging on to the PLASA website at
8 From 1st February 2002, the new maximum award for unfair dismissal increased to £60,100 made up of a maximum compensatory award of £52,600 and £7,500 basic award. Compensation for unlawful sex, race and disability discrimination remains unlimited.
8 In October 2001 the requirement in the Working Time Regulations that a worker must be employed for 13 weeks before becoming entitled to the statutory four weeks paid annual leave became illegal. Workers are now entitled to paid leave from day one of their employment, although in the first year it can be taken by accruing it at the rate of one twelfth of their full entitlement every month.
The M
Information about the event and booking details will be sent to the membership shortly, but if you have any queries in the meantime, feel free to contact Helen Willis on.
With the event now acting as a curtain raiser for the Oscars, and transferring to BBC television for the first time, the event’s profile was higher than ever this year. Helping to keep it sky high were Creative Technology, who flew 84 modules of the new Barco i10 high brightness LED display - its most prestigious outing to date. The screen was configured as a 12 x 7 display (in 16:9 aspect ratio), and attached to four CM Lodestar motors. "Having done the Orange British Academy Film Awards for the last two years we were again asked to provide image magnification based on our successful track record," said CT’s director of sales, Guy Mapley. &
(Ruth Rossington)
The operation is being fronted by Emma Church, who re-joins the company after a two year break, and who has a wealth of product knowledge gained from the three years she spent working at Litestructures’ head office in Wakefield.
The key products available for hire include the Astralite Original 3 truss range, the Litedeck stage units/system and the Litedeck rolling risers, which are proving increasingly popular thanks to the fact that they greatly reduce set-up times at gigs where se
Over 100 exhibitors and 656 visitors engaged in business in the relaxed atmosphere created at Showman’s North. Whilst not vast in size, the show drew event professionals from all sectors of the events’ industry with visitors ranging across representatives from Council events departments, the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, agricultural shows, corporate and exhibition organizers and event management companies.
Whilst many of the visitors were looking at events for the coming 2002 season, exhibitors also reported taking enquiries for the 2003 season. The exhibitors at the show certainly represented a good cross section of event suppliers. On the avenue
Produced by Sir Michael Parker, the event was almost a rehearsal for The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, with which he will also be involved. The 3,000 strong choir, drawn from schools, churches and choirs across the UK, Europe and Africa, will go on to form part of the 5,000-strong Golden Jubilee Gospel Choir which will sing at Buckingham Palace in June.
Lighting the show on behalf of
In an industrial action ballot which closed on March 19, more than 96% of BECTU members working at London's West End theatres voted to strike in support of the union's campaign to banish low pay. BECTU delayed publishing the ballot result while SOLT made last-minute efforts to improve the pay offer that members had rejected. After more than two days of closed-door negotiations, the employers tabled a new package, backdated to February 11. At a mass meeting on March 22, members voted to run a secret ballot on the new proposals, without any recommendation to accept or reject.
The two-stage pay offer includes an average 6% increase
The PALA show features exhibitors covering pro audio, lighting, club, broadcast and music. Exhibitors can expect to meet potential buyers including agents, dealers, distributors and end-users from across Asia. Hong Kong is considered to be the gateway for trade to China, and with PALA being held here for the first time, more visitors are expected to attend from Taiwan, Korea, China and Japan, in addition to regular visitors from India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The DTI’s SESA (Support for Exhibitions & Seminars Abroad) funding will re-imburse eligible UK companies 60% of stand, construction and freight costs, u
The day, which will be built around the Association’s AGM, will offer plenty of opportunity for members to network with others in the industry, as well as giving them a chance to discuss key issues in the Break-out Sessions which follow the AGM.
The day starts with a buffet lunch, with the formal business of the AGM beginning between 2 and 3pm. This will give members a chance to hear about the Association’s year and learn about future objectives.
Building on the success of last year, the Break-out Sessions will focus on issues such as Standards, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Employment Law, Training and Membership Services.
The Industry Dinner will complete the day’s activities, beginning with pre-dinner drinks. As in previous years, two after
In a ballot of BECTU members throughout London’s commercial theatreland, 71% voted in favour of the offer. Members are now set for a further pay rise in October 2002, worth 4%, or inflation plus 1%, whichever is greater. The two-stage offer put to members was tabled by employers, the Society of West End Theatres, in response to an earlier ballot in which 96% of union members in the sector had voted in favour of industrial action. "This is a significant first step in the union’s campaign to end low pay among theatre workers," BECTU organizer Mark David-Gray told us. Originally, the employers had tabled a pay rise of only 1.6%, prompting a determined campaign by BECTU to fight low pay in the West End. Since then its membership in theatreland has increased by more than 30%.
Previously the scam has involved close relatives meeting untimely deaths, but not before they’ve managed to siphon off large amounts of government money. However, useful as this formula has been in the past, it seems the tactics have now changed. In a recent letter to a PLASA member from Abba & Abba Trade Distribution Industry, the company’s Frederick Moore has asked to see price lists on the basis that he is looking to place an order for nine 40’ container loads of product. The financing, he claims, will come from money diverted from under the noses of the Nigerian government.
As so often in the past, PLASA members are being targeted heavily and we have taken numerous
Stand bookings are currently at 82%, with top names such as Vari-Lite, Sennheiser, Martin Professional, Denon, BSS Audio and Total Fabrication already booked. The show pulls in over 13,000 visitors from the UK and abroad each year, having become the main marketplace for the £11billion entertainment technology industry.
"The show is evolving continually," commented Saint, "and one of the key trends emerging is the growing number of manufacturers choosing to exhibit in their own right, rather than rely solely on representation through distributors. In addition, many long-standing exhibitors, including Numark, Peavey, S
Alan Ayckbourn will be leading two full days of rehearsal, technical and playwriting workshops, giving a unique opportunity to work with the acclaimed playwright and director. John Godber, artistic director of Hull Truck Theatre, will be joining the school (subject to availability) to offer his own perspective on writing, directing and running a theatre company.
The Stephen Joseph Theatre School features a busy programme of workshops, discussions and lectures concentrated on Alan Ayckbourn and his work in the round. It is hoped that Gwenda Hughes
Back on this side of the pond for the first time in five years, US Soul and R&B singer, Mary J Blige has commandeered four EST trucks as she embarks on a grand tour of Europe, starting in Hamburg on 5 April and finishing in Dublin on the 25 April, taking in most of the major European cities on the way, including shows in Birmingham, Manchester and London. The show is produced by Patricia Chaveria whose husband Paul is well known
"We are now finding that venues are more willing to allow us in and we know that our style of catering is both popular and ec
Swayne is taking over from Alex Collister who, following a handover period, is retiring. Both will be attending this summer’s ABTT (London and Leeds) and PLASA shows and look forward to meeting old and new customers there. Swayne will continue to develop the company as a manufacturer of products tailored to the needs of the expanding industry.
(Ruth Rossington)
(Ruth Rossington)
Custom Group Ltd commenced trading 28 years ago as a curtain and blind company, evolving into a supplier of all aspects of theatre equipment, which now also includes seating, lighting and sound, stage engineering and control equipment. Dodsley joins an established team which includes sales manager Ga
He joins Technical Marketing Ltd from a specialist business-to-business advertising agency where he held the position of research director. In this role he was also responsible for managing a number client portfolios, including many well known global brands. Previously David spent ten years as marketing director of Strand Lighting Ltd where his partnership with Andy Collier and Steve Norman (now representing Technical Marketing in New York) was forged. Prior experience as marketing manager and product manager for Thorn Lighting and in a researc
(Ruth Rossington)
