10 things you didn’t know about music festivals

1. Do you know what land you are taking? If you have to clean up and return a site to how it was previously how do you know what it was like to begin with? Make sure plans are accurate and if you are moving things or think that bits of a site were broken before you took it over, photograph it and ensure copies are sent to the owners. Don't wait until the end and have a fight over it. Walk the site boundaries with representatives from the land owners to ensure you both know what is being taken over.

2. Traffic Management Orders need to be obtained well in advance of the event. Do you need to close roads to allow crowds in or out or routes for fire safety? If you need to close a public road, you need a TMO.

3. Don't forget to consider routes over private land or roads. Do not leave it to the last minute to get a farmer's permission to use his private road. If the route is essential to getting bands to the main stage, beware, you may find you are paying over the odds.

4. If you hold the premises licence, you can be prosecuted for underage sales. S147(A) LA 2003 permits corporate prosecutions for 3 failed test purchases within 3 months. 15,000 people on your site and numerous alcohol concession stands? How are you controlling your vendors or what measures you are insisting on to ensure proper control over who is served?

5. The new corporate manslaughter legislation that came into force this year increases the risk of fatalities at the site being blamed on the event organisers and them being held responsible in law. Remember Roskilde 2000? Sound problems at the main stage started problems that lead to 9 Pearl Jam fans being crushed to death. If that happened in the UK in 2008, there is a good chance that the company would be prosecuted. Know how to protect yourself

6. How good is your liaison with the police and EHO? Never forget that both have powers to immediately shut down a festival if you are making too much noise or there are potential issues relating to crime and disorder. Recall the sound issues at Glastonbury 2007? Maintaining effective lines of communication with the representatives on site from both the EHO and police is the key to a successful festival.

7. Neighbours… One-off events every year can be seen as beneficial to local businesses and good for the image of an area. However, if you are hiring land from a council or from someone who holds numerous events at the venue (anything from the county shows to Death Metal Weekend 2008), speaking to the residents in the vicinity will give you a better insight into likely problems than talking to anyone else. From traffic flows to noise issues, to the need for an extra block of toilets at the back of someone's garden, this information is invaluable and will be more likely to get the residents on your side. A few tickets for them or even a stay in a hotel for the duration away from the site can have enormous benefits.

8. Be aware of local legislation. Some authorities, such as the Isle of Wight, have the right to seek compensation for providing services for festivals. The Isle of Wight County Council, for instance, have been permitted to charge organisers of events of over 5,000 people ever since Jimi Hendrix blew away the crowd at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, an event attended by somewhere around 500,000 people. Not all councils can or would charge and in fact most do not have such powers, but it is worth being aware that there could possibly be costs that you haven't budgeted for. Good liaison with the council should ensure there are no hidden costs.

9. Clearing up at the end. Have you given yourself enough time and sufficient staffing to allow for an effective and swift removal of the site stages/ structures and a clearing of the inevitable rubbish? Most contracts for the hire of a site insist that you leave it in the same state you found it, or indemnify them for any costs incurred when they have to clean it. It is always cheaper to clean it up yourself than to have to pay back to owners if they have to do it. Do you really want to be the only one holding a broom and black bag at the end.

10. Health and Safety risk assessments must be carried out prior to the event and should form the basis of any applications for alcohol or entertainment licences. In addition, you will need to provide fire risk assessments, security risk assessments and do not forget the noise risk assessment.

For more information on this contact Andy Grimsey on 0115 953 8500.