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News Archive
OUT OF THE WOODS…
Temporary structure providers focused on quality, service and value
for money in tougher times. Lisa Gudge talks to suppliers of some
alternative options about new opportunities and the coming year.
GL events Owen Brown had a solid year following significant investment
in its Absolute product ahead of the 2009 season.
“Obviously we committed long before the recession hit,” managing
director, Alex Robertson, told this magazine last spring. “The market is
hugely challenging. But a brand new structure is very different to
something that’s been on the hire market for a couple of seasons, and
we’re not asking a premium price for it, giving our clients the
opportunity to hold their margins and prices.”
“We supplied new Absolute structures at the likes of Epsom, Ascot and
Silverstone, and to the inaugural Dubai World Championship golf
tournament in November,” group operations director Scott Hayward tells
Access. “The response was very positive, and we’ve invested
another £4m in ‘phase two’.”
The company is set to roll out double and triple deck structures in the
Absolute range, and has new contracts in place at the World Cup in South
Africa, via parent company GL, and the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in
October. The investment has also encompassed the smaller end. Its
‘Ultimate’ pagodas are designed to raise the standard of entrance,
linking or smaller standalone structures.
“These can be the first thing visitors to and event see,” Hayward
continues. “We’ve tried to get away from the white cube by carrying the
aesthetic of the Absolute across into the Ultimate. They’re the same
eave height as our larger structures, so you get the same doors, the
same glazing and hard wall panelling, the same quality as the rest of
the structure.”
Source: Access All Areas February 2010
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Abu Dhabi Yacht Show
GL
events Owen
Brown are
supplying temporary structures in excess of 7000
square metres from its Absolute range to
the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS) at
the newly completed Yas Marina Circuit.
This is
the second ADYS and is the only annual exhibition dedicated to the
superyacht and megayacht sectors in the Middle East.
The 2009 ADYS saw sales
of yachts totalling over US$200 million. 2010 has been tipped to be even
bigger with 120 exhibitors expected at the event.
Darren Woodhouse, Director of Global Events, said "This is great news
for us, the client saw the quality of our finished product at the recent
Dubai World Championship golf and felt that we could deliver what they
wanted, another positive step for
GL
events Owen
Brown International
Division".
Source: Stand Out February 2010
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Owen Brown celebrate Ryder Cup success
GL events Owen Brown and
Ryder Cup Europe are delighted to announce that Owen Brown will supply
temporary structures to The 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort in
Wales next October.
As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of marquees and temporary
structures, specialising in high profile sporting events, Owen Brown
will play a key role at Celtic Manor following the success of their bid
to supply structures to the event from October 1-3.
Europe and the United
States will meet in the 38th edition of The Ryder Cup over
the Resort’s new Twenty Ten Course, which is the first to have been
purpose built for The Ryder Cup. The course, new clubhouse and
surrounding infrastructure have been built at total cost of £16 million.
Also gracing the new course will be a selection of Owen Brown
structures, including two brand new Absolute double decker eclipse
pavilions, which will be used at the 17th green for the
sponsors and suppliers hospitality. A 25 x 40 metre double decker will
form the Conwy Club, which is a shared restaurant facility.
Meanwhile, high above the 16th fairway and green, a triple
decker pavilion from our premier range, complete with elegant ‘galleria’
roof, will form the Kidwelly hospitality suites, each accommodating
either 30 or 50 guests. All of the Owen Brown structures being supplied
will be constructed on raised platforms, to guarantee guests unrivalled
views of the action on the course. Indeed, from a particular point on
the 16th, no less than 12 holes are visible.
Commenting on the agreement with Ryder Cup Ltd, Managing Director, Alex
Robertson, said: “This is a really exciting contract for the group - a
great affirmation of the team’s hard work and our commitment to further
developing the Absolute range.”
Edward Kitson, Ryder Cup Match Director, commented: “We are delighted to
be working with Owen Brown for the first time at The Ryder Cup. The
hospitality structures overlooking the golf course will have unrivalled
panoramic views of the Usk Valley and form a spectacular backdrop for
our guests.”
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Owen Brown makes marquees an art form!
Leading marquee and structure company GL events Owen Brown has been
providing temporary space for some of the UK’s most prestigious art
exhibitions this autumn.
Both the Lapada Art and Antiques Fair in September, and The Pavilion of
Art and Design in October, took place in London’s Berkeley Square, and
made use of structures from Owen Brown’s impressive product range.
The Lapada Art Fair brought together leading art dealers from around the
globe for this annual event, moved in 2009 from its former home in
Burlington Gardens. This was the first time the event had been staged in
a temporary structure, and the sensitive nature of the historic Berkeley
Square site, combined with limited access, provided Owen Brown with
plenty of challenges.
The plane trees in the square are some of the oldest in London, and
hence all plant and equipment had to be carefully maneuvered around
them. Two of the trees had to be incorporated into the marquees
themselves, with their trunks protruding through the roof tops!
In total, Owen Brown supplied over 3000 square metres of space for
Lapada, using structures from the new Absolute range.
Two weeks after clearing the site, the Owen Brown team was back in
Berkeley Square to erect the Pavilion of Art and Design London. Formerly
known as Design Art London, the event featured fine art and design from
over 45 international dealers, all located within almost 3000 square
metres of Absolute structures.
For both of the Berkeley Square projects, the Owen Brown crew had to
work through the night, loading and unloading a grand total of 36
articulated lorries before the square opened to the public each morning.
Led by experienced Site Manager Pete Pugh, both projects were delivered
on time and to Owen Brown’s exacting standards.
The Pavilion of Art and Design was timed to coincide with the Frieze
Arts Fair, located minutes away in Regent’s Park and representing
another London based art event serviced by Owen Brown. At Frieze, Owen
Brown supplied an enormous 21,000 square metres of exhibition space to
accommodate works from art galleries from around the globe. This
included a specially commissioned 5 metre bay to one structure which had
to be purpose built by Owen Brown, for a Polish artist wishing to create
the illusion of a large object crashing through the structure’s roof. In
reality, all Owen Brown’s structures remained firmly intact!
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Owen Brown in Buoyant Form on Serpentine
Leading
temporary structure company GL Events Owen Brown has recently installed
a 15m X 25m structure, quite literally on Hyde Park’s Serpentine Lake.
The
structure, from Owen Brown’s new ‘Absolute’ range, was constructed on a
giant floating pontoon over the lake itself, and featured a distinctive
curved roof profile – one of 3 roof options available with the new
range.
The
cutting edge design of the Absolute structure formed the perfect venue
for the official unveiling of the new ‘Isis’ sculpture, which will
reside on the lake’s shore. The new statue is an important element of a
£1 million fund raising scheme by The Royal Parks Foundation to finance
the building of a new environmental education centre in the heart of
Hyde Park.
The
site chosen for the statue and the launch ceremony did not have
sufficient space for a temporary venue to be erected on the shore of the
lake, so a floating pontoon was constructed for it to be built upon.
The
project required a great deal of care and structural expertise from the
Owen Brown team, who had to ensure that the structure was weighted
sufficiently to ensure it stayed in place, whilst not over burdening the
pontoon in any one area.
Even
more challenging, access to the proposed site for Owen Brown’s vehicles
and heavy plant was impossible, and hence the pontoon was built on the
far side of the lake, where the structure was carefully constructed on
top of it. Both structure and pontoon were then floated across the lake
into position. Gables and panels were only fitted to the structure once
it had made its journey across the lake, to reduce the 'sail effect'
that could have been created by a floating structure of this size.
Thanks
to the skill and expertise of the 8 strong Owen Brown crew, the Absolute
structure stayed firmly in place and formed a stunning temporary venue
in early September for both a press launch and an evening function for
sponsors of the education centre, both delivered by production company
Entertee.
Absolute was launched earlier this year as part of a £4.5 million
investment by Owen Brown in new equipment, including Absolute and the
pagoda style ‘Ultimate’ range. Quite unlike other structures available,
Absolute features curved wall panels and enhanced wall, roof and
guttering, negating the need for unsightly down pipes which might
otherwise detract from the clean, simple design of this exciting new
range.
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OWEN
BROWN ON PAR AT SPANISH OPEN
The
Spanish leg of the PGA European Tour was staged recently in the
spectacular surroundings of Golf de Catalunya resort near Girona, after
a nine year absence from the course. Despite fierce competition,
Frenchman Thomas Levet claimed victory, making this his 5th
European Tour title.
Set amid stunning scenery, the Catalunya course is fast becoming one of
Europe’s finest golfing destinations. The newly built clubhouse is a
testament to contemporary design and so when GL events Owen Brown was
contracted to provide temporary facilities for the Open de España, their
dynamic new Absolute range of structures fitted the bill perfectly.
Featuring
signature curved wall panelling a choice of 3 distinctive roof profiles,
Absolute is visually unlike any other structure available. Combining
modern architecture with the practicality and versatility of a temporary
structure, its aesthetic appeal makes it equally at home for use as a
temporary exhibition space, party venue or hospitality facility.
Three 10m X 10m Absolute structures, each featuring the apex roof, were
used on the Catalunya course, whilst a range of smaller versions
provided information points and work stations for the world’s TV and
media.
In
addition to the Absolute range, Owen Brown’s stylish new range of pagoda
style structures was much in evidence on the course as a series of 5m X
5m retail outlets, whilst a larger 20m X 25m Premier Pavilion from Owen
Brown’s established range formed a busy press centre. Owen Brown also
provided a 20m x 35m Double Decker structure by the side of the 18th
Green, used for VIP Hospitality.
In total, Owen Brown supplied a total of 35 individual structures for
the Spanish Open, as well as large quantities of picket fencing to keep
the enthusiastic crowds at bay! All of the kit was shipped from GL
events Owen Brown’s head quarters in the UK.
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CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY FOR TEMPORARY PARTY VENUES
Despite the latest set of economic figures, which make for rather gloomy
reading, the corporate Christmas party market seems to be riding the
stormy seas of recession quite comfortably at present. In line with this
trend, GL events Owen Brown and sister company GL events Snowdens have
just announced that between them they will be providing structures for
no less than 19 temporary Christmas party venues for the 2009 season.
The benefits of opting for a night out in one of the specialist
temporary Christmas party venues provided up and down the country are
obvious. Whereas in the past, companies could perhaps enjoy a more ‘no
expense spared’ philosophy to their party planning, there is a definite
swing within the corporate market to getting value for money without
sacrificing quality, according to a report by the Chartered Institute of
Personnel and Development.
Leading temporary structure companies GL events Owen Brown and GL events
Snowdens have been major supplier of purpose built Christmas party
venues for a number of years, and list Best Parties Ever, Planit and JD
Parties amongst their clients.
Comments Tim Stevens, Managing Director of Best Parties Ever, “Temporary
venues offer companies a high quality themed party experience – anything
from ‘Red Hot in Rio’ to ‘Party in the Pyramids’ – good food,
entertainment and a great party atmosphere, all in a cost effective
package which compares favourably with the costs of exclusive use of a
permanent venue or restaurant.”
Weybridge based Best Parties Ever launched in 1999, and since then the
company has enjoyed steady growth, operating 11 sites across the south
east in 2008 and opening 4 new ones this year at Southampton,
Billericay, Milton Keynes and Manchester. GL events Snowdens has been
contracted to provide the structures for all 14 of BPE’s sites.
Owen Brown client, JD Parties, run 3 Christmas party venues around the
UK, open from the end of November through to New Year’s Eve. Their
newest venue, at Knowlsey Safari Park near Liverpool, continues to grow
despite the economic downturn. This year, guests can look forward to an
‘Out of Africa’ experience within the 24m wide premier pavilion supplied
by Owen Brown. As well as Knowlsey Park, the company also has large
capacity venues at both Millenium Point in Birmingham, and also at
Tatton Park near Manchester, in its 15th season this year.
Comments Emma Kelsey, General Manager at JD Parties, “Across our 3 sites
we have already taken over 11,000 bookings for this year, and are
hopeful of a successful party season”.
Meanwhile Planit Events cater exclusively for the London market, with a
choice of 2 prestigious sites across the capital, one at the Tower of
London and a second at Embankment Gardens. Established in 1992, Planit’s
Christmas venues can accommodate from 400 to 2,200 guests, again using
Owen Brown’s premier pavilion range for the event space.
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Owen Brown an Absolute Winner
Leading marquee and temporary structure company GL events Owen Brown
continues to win acclaim for its exciting new ‘Absolute’ range of
structures, having recently completed a project in the prestigious
surroundings of The Grove Hotel, one of the UK’s most exclusive venues.
Owen Brown’s remit was to provide light, versatile temporary exhibition
space for Parallel Blue, on behalf of their client Siemens Domestic
Appliances. GL events Owen Brown used one of their premium ‘Absolute
Eclipse’ structures to house the exhibition. The 24m by 55m structure
also featured the company’s cutting edge new curved roof, giving the
temporary venue a dynamic contemporary feel, in-keeping with the
beautiful surroundings of The Grove.
The structure took the skilled Owen Brown team just three days to
construct, despite the sensitivity required when building in such high
profile surroundings. Using over 1200 sqm of temporary roadway as access
to and from the structure, the project team took every care to ensure
the beautiful parkland was protected and disruption to guests was
minimised.
Alex Hirst, the Account Manager from GL events Owen Brown who headed up
the project explains the rationale behind it:” It was imperative for
Parallel Blue to create an exhibition environment that was of the
highest quality for their client, befitting such a premier venue as The
Grove Hotel. The need to have comparative quality between the fixed
buildings and temporary structures was at the centre of our minds
throughout the planning process.”
Feedback from Parallel Blue has been extremely positive, who were
impressed with both the structure itself and the Owen Brown team.
Comments Lise Evans, Account Director, “The Absolute Eclipse structure
was a dream to work with. It gave us complete flexibility in our choice
of exhibition layout, and the quality of the build was excellent. Owen
Brown understood the attention to detail demanded of this project and
were a great extension to our project team.”
As further testament to the complete versatility of the structure, the
same structure was used for a completely different application at the
Autumn International Rugby fixtures at Twickenham. Here official
hospitality providers Harlequin Events used 2 Absolute structures; each
featuring the distinctive new roof design, at their picturesque Kneller
Hall hospitality village.
The contemporary curved roof profile is a key feature of GL events Owen
Brown’s exciting new ‘Absolute’ range of structures, which launched at
the beginning of April at the RSVP show. In a bold move, GL events Owen
Brown chose to build their entire exhibition stand at the event with the
sleek curved wall panelling of the Absolute range, proving just how
versatile this new range is!
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OWEN BROWN FLYING HIGH AT ROYAL WINDSOR WHEEL
Visitors to Windsor this summer can look forward to a ride on the
graceful Royal Windsor Wheel – a spectacular aerial attraction recently
constructed in the town’s Alexandra Gardens, and in situ for a seven
month extended season for 2009.
The 365 tonne giant wheel rises to a height of 60 metres, giving
passengers spectacular views over Windsor, the Thames and as far away as
central London. 36 climate controlled capsules, each seating 6 adults,
ensure that the ride can be enjoyed whatever the weather.
Leading temporary structure company GL events Owen Brown has provided
one of its new Absolute structures to form a contemporary café facility
for visitors to the attraction. Launched in March, Absolute combines
practicality with cutting edge design. Featuring unique curved wall
paneling, the Absolute range also offers a choice of three distinctive
roof shapes – the
unique Plateau roof, the Eclipse curved roof and a standard apex
design.
As well as aesthetic appeal, the new range also boasts improved wall,
roof and gutter systems, ensuring unmatched weather proofing.
The 5m by 10m open fronted structure at Windsor will remain in place
from March until October.
For further details on the Royal Windsor Wheel, please visit
www.royalwindsorwheel.com
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Christian Conferences Buck Trend
In these times of economic uncertainty, it is reassuring to note that
there are some aspects of modern society that remain more or less
untouched by the current recession. Christianity is acknowledged as the
fastest growing world religion, and the series of Christian Summer
Conferences planned at the Royal Bath and West and Newark and
Nottinghamshire show grounds in July and August look set to be the
biggest to date for event organisers New Wine.
Most of the expected visitors to the conferences will camp at the show
grounds and leading temporary structure company GL events Owen Brown and
sister company GL event Snowdens will be supplying 10,000 sqm of tentage,
to accommodate the planned programme of seminars, study sessions, kids
groups, celebrations and live entertainment.
The main hall will be constructed from a 50m by 80m Giant structure from
Owen Brown, whilst Premier Pavilions in a range of differing sizes will
form additional facilities at the site, alongside frame tents and pole
marquees being supplied by GL events Snowdens.
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ABSOLUTE WINNER FROM GL EVENTS OWEN BROWN
Leading
structure company GL events Owen Brown is to launch an exciting new
range of contemporary structures this spring. The Absolute range has
been designed after extensive consultation with the company’s existing
client base as well as other leading companies within the events
sector.
The new
range will combine the best of Owen Brown’s current product range with
cutting edge design and technology. Designed in-house, Absolute aims to
combine all the practical benefits of a temporary structure with the
aesthetic appeal of modern architecture.
The
range will feature a distinctive curved wall panel and three roof
options – the unique Plateau roof, the Eclipse curved roof and a
standard apex design. In addition, clients will have the opportunity to
personalise their structure with a range of branding options.
Flexibility has always been a winning attribute of temporary structures,
and the modular nature of the Absolute range means that component parts
of the structure can be interchanged to create variations in internal
layout. Meanwhile to the exterior, improved wall, roof and gutter
systems make for unrivalled weather proofing and excellent acoustics
within.
Elements of the new design have already been road tested by a number of
Owen Brown clients. The cutting edge curved roof made its debut at the
Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, on a 24m by 85m hospitality
structure and the new design also featured as part of premium exhibition
space for event organisers Parallel Blue for a project at the Grove
Hotel.
The GL
events Owen Brown team are excited about the official launch of
Absolute. Comments Keith Bishop, Group Sales Director “This new range
genuinely offers our clients something new and innovative. With our
proven track record of providing high quality event solutions and the
skill and experience of our team here at Owen Brown, Absolute will lead
the way in structure design and technology for years to come.”
Over
the next few months Owen Brown will be taking delivery of 20,000 sqm of
new equipment, with a similar quantity following in 2010.
GL
events Owen Brown will be participating in RSVP, with their ‘Absolute
Bar’ on stand number C6, marking the official launch of the range.
For
further information please call GL events Owen Brown on telephone number
01332 850000, or visit our website at www.owen-brown.co.uk
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LEARNING CURVE FOR OWEN
BROWN
Leading temporary structure company GL events Owen Brown has been successfully trialling an important new roof design – a key feature of the brand new range of structures the company is set to launch at RSVP in April.
The stunning curved roof will be an important design element of the ‘Absolute’ range soon to launch in the UK. The new roofing system made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, giving a striking contemporary edge to the Moss Pavilion, an exclusive hospitality facility at the event.GL events Owen Brown replaced one of their existing structures at the Goodwood site with a 24m by 85m ‘Eclipse’ structure from their current range, but featuring the new curved roof. The pavilion.enjoyed an elevated track side position and accommodated up to 700 guests per day.
Goodwood organisers were keen to use the new roofing system at the Festival of Speed. Commented Katie Bridger, Motorsport Events Planner at Goodwood; “the distinctive roof shape added an exciting visual element to the pavilion, lending the venue an air of exclusivity, which is so vital to successful hospitality “ Thanks to the structure’s early success, GL events Owen Brown now have a contract in place to supply the same style of structure at Goodwood until 2012.
Meanwhile, other important Owen Brown clients will also benefit from the new design throughout 2009. Event management company Parallel Blue used a 24m by 55m structure featuring the curved roof in the prestigious surroundings of the Grove Hotel last month, and later in the year Twickenham Stadium will be using no less than 6 structures featuring the new design at their picturesque Kneller Hall hospitality site for the Autumn internationals.
Alex Robertson, MD of GL events Owen Brown, looks forward to a successful official launch for the Absolute range, commenting “the new range, incorporating our curved roof design represents a considerable investment for us and underlines our commitment to delivering both quality and innovation. Based on our expertise in structure design and the reception this one new element has received to date, we are confident that the Absolute range will be a major force within the structure market.”
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GL EVENTS OWEN BROWN SIGN FURTHER THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH ASCOT
RACECOURSE:
International temporary structure specialists GL events Owen Brown have
recently agreed a three year contractual increase to supply structures
for the Royal Ascot race meeting, which takes place annually each June.
Owen Brown have shared a long and thriving history with Ascot Racecourse,
providing structures for all of the major areas at the prestigious race
meeting for over 10 years, one of the largest annual temporary structure
contracts in the UK.
Alex Robertson, Managing Director GL events Owen Brown commented: “As
the popularity of the race meeting has increased year on year, the relationship
that we have built with Ascot has grown also.” He continued: “For
over a decade, we have worked with Ascot to provide bespoke structures
that maximise space and capacity but do not compromise quality or guest
experience.”
In 2001, Owen Brown replaced the Double Decker structure that they had
provided for the racecourse previously, with a new Triple Decker structure,
providing several luxury hospitality suites that increased capacity
at the event by 30 percent.
Five years later, following Ascot’s £200 million refurbishment
in 2006, Owen Brown constructed several new stands, the focal point
of these being a naturally lit internal galleria, complete with innovative
lightweight parasol roof structure designed to reflect the natural tree
lining in which the racecourse is set.
Owen Brown have already experienced a prosperous start to 2008, with
the agreement of several new contracts and the anticipated launch of
their innovative “Eclipse” structure, their first to feature
a curved roof.
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