Operations and Health & Safety: Eastern Electrics and Maiden Voyage 2021

Background

Eastern Electrics (EE) is a longstanding house music brand that has organised electronic music events since 2010. In 2021, the organisers put on their first day festival in the Greenwich Peninsular and have since then had grown the audience from 10,000 people to 2021’s audience of 15,000.

Maiden Voyage (MV) collaborates between Eastern Electrics Promoter, Rob Star Hives and the Jazz Café, a live music venue in London. The first MV festival in 2019 was a sell-out show at Three Mills Green with a capacity of 7,500.

In 2021, the O.P.S team supported The Fair with their OPS related needs, including the task of finding a new home for both Eastern Electrics and Maiden Voyage. The new site was required to accommodate an audience of 15,000 that year and allow for future growth in 2022 and beyond.

Challenges

  • Obtaining a Premises Licence for Eastern Electrics and Maiden Voyage at a new site within Lee Valley Regional Parks.

  • Ensuring the health & safety of crew and audiences on a site with two ‘lines’ of pylons carrying six 275kv uninsulated wires running its entire length.

  • Working alongside the Production Manager in designing a new site and facilities.

  • Working with Highways across Hertfordshire and Essex to create a Traffic Management Plan for the event.

  • Producing a festival within Lee Valley Regional Parks, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

  • Liaising with new stakeholders, including residential moorings based.

  • Ensuring covid protocols and guidelines are followed at all times.

Results

  • Successful delivery of Eastern Electrics and Maiden Voyage at a brand new site.

  • Isolate pylons from the general public, ensuring no temporary structure onsite will reach within 7m of the overhead cabling.

  • Hosting 30,000 people across two event days.

  • Giving away 400+ resident tickets.

  • Liaising effectively with Hertfordshire and Essex Councils throughout the planning and live phases of the event.

  • Involving local stakeholders in the event planning and debrief process to form a solid foundation.

  • Positive feedback from Hertfordshire and Essex Councils and attendees.