Festival Health and Safety: Belgravia Christmas Light Switch On

Background

The Belgravia Christmas light switch-on has become a staple in the OPS calendar, as well as for many visitors who flock from across London and beyond to come and watch the event.

From live reindeer to Santa, The Snowman to The Nutcracker, visitors enjoyed meeting festive characters across the event roaming Elizabeth Street throughout the event. Performances from the London Gay Men’s Chorus, the Fulham Brass Band and Solid Steel kept guests entertained, as well as a selection of Christmas markets in Eccleston Yards.

Meanwhile, the OPS team provided on-site health & safety, produced event documentation, audited suppliers across multiple areas and liaised with Westminster City Council to ensure these elements came together in the safest way. We also applied for the road closure and secured traffic management, security and medics.

The event took place on a Sunday this year during the day, attracting more families.

Challenges

  • Roaming entertainment included Santa and his elves, The Snowman, and balloon artist and nutcrackers We ensured performers were accompanied by security at all times to ensure safety and crowd management.
  • Live reindeer were also present at the event and walking along the streets. We liaised with Project Farm to make sure we had all the necessary documentation and that this had been processed by City Vet and Westminster Council. Meanwhile, we ensured hygiene was kept up at all times with hand washing facilities on site.
  • We implemented road closures – eradicating vehicle-pedestrian conflict, ensuring the safety of guests and staff, and creating more space for people to view the entertainment.

Delivery

Results

You may also like