I hope KC or someone similar will turn up on here and provide more specifics, but here’s an overview of what happens…..
many of the rules will be dictated by meetings with the Council, the Police and Fire and Rescue Service – and will be decided when the venue is known (the license admin fee is non-refundable BTW whether they let the event happen or not..)
also a link to official advice on health and safety
http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/index.htm
One thing which is essential is good comms across the site – hand-held analogue two-way radios are more reliable and quicker in use than mobiles, but people will need training their correct use.
At ambient there were different channels for security, stages and general comms (IMO perhaps too many, there was confusion sometimes which one to use!)
You may need to hire them specially, although you can use the public PMR446 band everyone can buy these radios and you may find random people monitoring your transmissions and attempting to disrupt them like with the old CB sets…
Oh, and you do not say “Over and out” (thats only in the movies). (its one or the other words only depending whether you expect a reply or not).
The way officialdom responds to a festival is varied – some areas invoke a form of the Area Major Incident Protocol which is the same thing they use for contamination or terrorist attack! There will need to be traffic management, access for blue light services if needed, but don’t let their official paranoia get out of hand – you should be treated as an asset to the community, not a hindrance. If you show them you know what you are doing they should be prepared to accept this. A certain amount of organisation (without stifling creativity) should help.
Stewards should be chosen carefully, you do not want the obvious bouncer type who can cause more beef than they prevent, particularly if recruited from the local “hard men” (there will be others who may try to challenge them).
Expect curious chavs. They will turn up…
Make sure everyone has clear roles and responsibilities and prevent ego causuing problems..
Be prepared to challenge the inevitable whingers who will say “risk of disruption/noise/terrorist attack”, be prepared to address the media as well as their complaints.
Finances – keep a close eye on costs and a closer eye on any loose cash (sadly, there are people on the scene who cannot be trusted with loose cash, they will try and dip a bit). Learn how to work spreadsheets if you do not already
Make a “recovery plan” for anything which may goe pear-shaped – think about stuff like what would happen if chavs lobbed a CS into the main tent? what if the genset packs up, or acts don’t turn up? fires, floods, overturned chemical toilets? Plan for these things but hope for the best….
