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Paintball Festival - London

Feb 6, 2010
52
20
18
Dan - Firstly, I Salute the initiative:

Speaking from experience a couple of points:
  • H&S is very time consuming you can do it yourself but I would suggest getting in contact with the relevant authority and working with their people from the start - be prepared for a lot of documentation
  • You will need to meet a maximum decibel level (can't remember the level) Planet were very helpful in providing some numbers
  • Tried several approached for netting - best seemed to be the set up we had at the Shropshire show - 8m high scaffold surround weighted down (can supply details)
  • It will cost you way more than you expect! (can supply costs from Blackpool and Shropshire)
  • If not on grass you will need astro - will need to be water based as sand based is too heavy and therefore dependant on big machinery to move/remove - you can get free astro although water based is much rarer
  • No matter what you do with the netting, people, dogs etc. WILL get hit with paintballs - unless, you have enough no mans land between spectators and arena
  • You need more space than you think - 1 field for the arena and the equivalent again for staging, Admin, First aid, Air etc
  • You will need security!
  • To run one arena (I suggest you don't do more than this) you will need refs, at least 4 x runners to help run the day, repair netting and general support plus the normal admin etc.
  • You will need walkie talkies - professional not Argos - have hire contact
  • You will need a minimum of 5 days set up - sounds a lot but believe me you will need it and thats with a set up crew of 6
  • You need to factor in accommodation for set up crew before and everyone else Marshals, runners, you etc during the event
  • Clean up, clean up clean up! will bite you on the arse unless you are very careful - suggest you work with local authority - roadsweepers are very effective!
  • Make sure you have nearby access to water and power
  • You will need St John's or similar first aid cover
  • You will need insurance, incl public liability
  • Advisable to let the police know the event is taking place
Have PMed you my number - feel free to call should you need to, Mark
PS - It will cost you a lot more than you think :)
 

paul warped

Member
May 29, 2013
76
16
18
55
Mark you are bang on there mate, I know ,done this 20 years ago at show grounds around the UK, I really love the idea, but the red tape you will have to cut in London will be unreal,could take years to get though, and just your ground rent in London will just kill you, it's prime space by the London eye or close central London and it will cost top dollar, please don't think I'am putting a downer on this for one minute, but please be careful think about it, like Mark says, it will cost you more than you think.

Regards Parksey Warped
 

paul warped

Member
May 29, 2013
76
16
18
55
Hi Guys, just thinking, how about the Olympic Village near Stratford, near the Westfield Shopping center, there's tuns of room and parking there, if I wanted to do this, this would be my first call defo.

hope this helps
Regards Parksey Warped
 

sx1990

Member
Mar 2, 2009
96
11
18
Sorry to high jack thread I've always wondered why they never run nets along the top/roof of fields? In theory it should catch a lot of stray balls off bunkers?
 

Tony Harrison

What is your beef with the Mac?
Mar 13, 2007
6,516
1,874
238
They did at Barry Fuggle's old Zap indoor event. You could fire at the overhead netting and the balls would bounce off it, so you could hit players behind their bunkers.

Great event.
 

Tony Harrison

What is your beef with the Mac?
Mar 13, 2007
6,516
1,874
238
Dan - Firstly, I Salute the initiative:

Speaking from experience a couple of points:
  • H&S is very time consuming you can do it yourself but I would suggest getting in contact with the relevant authority and working with their people from the start - be prepared for a lot of documentation
  • You will need to meet a maximum decibel level (can't remember the level) Planet were very helpful in providing some numbers
  • Tried several approached for netting - best seemed to be the set up we had at the Shropshire show - 8m high scaffold surround weighted down (can supply details)
  • It will cost you way more than you expect! (can supply costs from Blackpool and Shropshire)
  • If not on grass you will need astro - will need to be water based as sand based is too heavy and therefore dependant on big machinery to move/remove - you can get free astro although water based is much rarer
  • No matter what you do with the netting, people, dogs etc. WILL get hit with paintballs - unless, you have enough no mans land between spectators and arena
  • You need more space than you think - 1 field for the arena and the equivalent again for staging, Admin, First aid, Air etc
  • You will need security!
  • To run one arena (I suggest you don't do more than this) you will need refs, at least 4 x runners to help run the day, repair netting and general support plus the normal admin etc.
  • You will need walkie talkies - professional not Argos - have hire contact
  • You will need a minimum of 5 days set up - sounds a lot but believe me you will need it and thats with a set up crew of 6
  • You need to factor in accommodation for set up crew before and everyone else Marshals, runners, you etc during the event
  • Clean up, clean up clean up! will bite you on the arse unless you are very careful - suggest you work with local authority - roadsweepers are very effective!
  • Make sure you have nearby access to water and power
  • You will need St John's or similar first aid cover
  • You will need insurance, incl public liability
  • Advisable to let the police know the event is taking place
Have PMed you my number - feel free to call should you need to, Mark
PS - It will cost you a lot more than you think :)
Thank you very much for taking the time to post all this, Mark.

From the outset, I knew that this would cost a bunch.

All the contact I have had from possible venues has been positive, but what it comes down to is the huge cost of putting the thing on. And who is going to pay for it? The teams? Sponsors? In this economic climate, I don't think so.

At the moment, we have a pretty solid tournament circuit. Teams play CPPS to prep for the MS, and there will be a new entrant to the UK circuit next year.

I don't think I would be able to tempt teams away from what we already have - they commit to the CPPS for a season, and also commit to the MS for a season, and that costs a lot of cash.

So, best to shelve the idea until the sport is stronger and the economy more healthy. Of course, If I win the lottery, I'll put it on as an end of year event, just for a laugh.
 
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