Statement From 'Buzz' Organisers Gives Residents Some Hope
Published: Tuesday 18th May 2010 22:00
A statement issued by Eddie Stewart and Gill Mills, organisers of the annual Brandon Buzz music festival, has given Brandon residents some hope that the event could go ahead as planned.
After meeting with police on Monday 17th May, it was announced that this years Brandon Buzz was to be cancelled due to the extreme costs of policing the event.
The following statement was issued by event organisers this evening, Tuesday 18th May:
"Gill and I have worked hard today with Forest Heath District Council. I saw some wire mesh safety fences round a building site this morning and this gave me an idea. Gill researched this on the web and found that hire of these 2metre x 3.4metre panels, on concrete legs, are very cheap to hire. The more panels you have the cheaper. Also there have been over 50 offers of help on ‘Facebook’. With this in mind Gill contacted Inspector Neil Ireland and had a long discussion with him. If we advertise the event as a NO EXTERNAL ALCOHOL ALLOWED event and put up signs to this effect along a security fence that encompasses the field by the Sports Centre/Sports and Social Club we could reduce the 50% security risk points. Also, with sufficient stewards to man a single entrance onto the field (set in this security barrier) we could prevent alcohol coming in. The signs and the pre-publicity would do the rest and minimise the risk of uncontrollable amounts of alcohol being consumed during the event. We could use many of the people who have offered help from ‘Facebook’, if they are suitable and some would need to security certificated (eg. doormen). We need at least 32 stewards.
I met with Joanne Rogers and Kerry Millership today (overall organisers of the Summer of Fun) at Forest Heath to discuss all this. I told them that putting these measures into place could reduce the Police costs to zero as additional policjng would not be required.
We agreed that FHDC would be prepared to source these security panels, which are non-climbable. We got a map of the area from the Council computer, worked out the area required and also got the measurements. If the panels cost £3.00 each, which was quoted on the Web, this would only add up to £400 to £500 and this is, therefore, affordable, although we will need to find the funding. We would have to erect these ourselves and would need lots of help the day before and on the Monday to erect and dismantle the barrier.
Anyone trying to bring drink into the event will NOT be allowed in. It’s as simple as that. I realise this will mean lots more work and effort on our behalf and we hope the people of Brandon will respond with their brawn and presence to put these barriers up.
We are setting up a meeting at the Playing Fields with Sgt. Chris Chisnall for early next week to walk the area, discuss our proposals and, hopefully, see if this will significantly reduce the high security risk score as the Inspector intimated it might.
Finally, if we can reduce this score to near zero the Buzz will go ahead. If we can’t, it won’t. If there are any security-trained folk out there who can spare the time to man the entrance/patrol the area we would need them to come forward, but we have no money to spare from our limited sponsorship money to pay anyone. It all has to be volunteers as, indeed, both of us are. We will put everything on hold until we know if we are be successful in minimising the perceived risks. We have been reading the Facebook entries, but those who write need to know there are now new national rules in place we have to comply with. Watch this space.
Eddie Stewart and Gill Mills"
We await further news as to whether the event will go ahead, rest assured that BrandonSuffolk.com will be updated with any news as soon as we have it.
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