Stratford-on-Avon Christmas Market

Securing Christmas Markets Nationwide

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The few last weeks have been a flurry of 🎄Christmas Market 🎄activity up & down the country for the Crowdguard Team.

Stratford-on-Avon Christmas Market

Boasting over 200 high-quality stalls, the the Stratford-on-Avon Christmas market is one of the largest in the West Midlands – and one of the highlights of our year!

In partnership with Stratford-on-Avon District Council and LSD Promotions, we were back for the rearranged and re-imagined Christmas market, that has a new, more open layout and performers mixing with the crowds to enhance visitor experience while helping to minimise disruption to the town.

We deployed Husson H-Stop, ATG SurfaceGuard, Highway Care RB50 and ARX Stopper temporary HVM solutions at 6 separate locations around the town centre to keep the crowds of visitors safe from vehicular incursions, while allowing for pedestrian permeability and accessibility for all.

H-Stops deployed at key pedestrian entrance & exit points

H-Stops deployed in conjunction with Traffic Management signage

The ARX Stopper temporary HVM units were deployed for pedestrian permeability

Stratford-on-Avon Christmas Market

ATG SurfaceGuard and ARX Stopper deployed to provide a safe, pedestrian-permeable temporary HVM solution

Dundee Christmas Market

We’ve also been working with Dundee City Council to help them set up for their Christmas Village. The event will transform City Square into a vibrant Christmas hub, in front of the Caird Hall, complete with an ice rink, Christmas Market, Santa Experience, and festive funfair, promising a magical experience for visitors and locals alike. We have deployed Husson International H-Stop and Highway Care Claw to protect the crowds over the coming weeks.

Dundee Christmas Market

H-Stops were deployed on key pedestrian routes on the way to the Dundee Christmas Market

Paisley Christmas Lights Switch-On

Then we were over to Paisley to protect key junctions at County Square, Gauze Street and the High Street with H-Stop for Protection in Partnership with Renfrewshire Council for the Paisley Christmas Lights switch-on.

Paisley Christmas Market & Lights

We deployed Husson H-Stops at key ingress & egress points around County Square in Paisley to protect visitors to the Christmas Market and Lights

Harrogate

Next, we were off to Harrogate for their Christmas Fayre, Protecting in Partnership with the Town Council, again deploying the H-Stop to keep the crowds safe on the busy Cambridge Road and Market Place in the town centre.

Harrogate Cambridge Road

More H-Stops were deployed in Harrogate, this time on the busy Cambridge Road

Bishop Auckland

We also stopped off in Bishop Auckland to deploy more festive-coloured H-Stop for what is fast becoming known as the Christmas Capital of the North, for Bishop Auckland Town Council and Baccanalia & Bridge Events.

Bath

We are delighted to be given the opportunity to partner with Bath & North East Somerset Council and Muddy Dog Events to help protect the thronging crowds expected at the Bath Christmas Market.

From Thursday 28th November to Sunday 15th December 2024, the picturesque streets of Bath are transformed into a magical, festive experience.

We have deployed ATG SurfaceGuard and Husson International HStop to create a safe, accessible and pedestrian-friendly zone in the centre of the beautiful City of Bath, while allowing for emergency and delivery vehicles to have access to the narrow streets.

Such a lovely project to deliver!

Bath Christmas celebrations

ATG Surface Guard were the ideal deployment for Bath’s busy streets, to ensure plenty of hassle-free access for the city’s visitors

Keynsham

Finally, we were over to the Keynsham Winter Festival, partnering with Keynsham Town Council, where more H-Stop were deployed on the busy market streets to help keep the thronging crowds safe, as well as being easy to remove and store away, so that the big red fire engine could get in/ out, in case of an emergency!

Phew! What a Month! We’re delighted that we have been trusted by so many Local Authorities and Event Organisers to secure their Christmas Markets and Lights – we look forward to seeing you all again for next year’s festivities!

If you’re planning an event (small or large-scale), get in touch with the Crowdguard team to discuss your requirements. We will give you the best possible advice and provide a turnkey service to help you plan and implement strategies to keep people safe in crowded places, with market-leading solutions installed by experts, designed to help you mitigate risk.

Tel: 0161 507 3434

Email: info@crowdguard.co.uk

 

HVM solutions for all Christmas markets

Ensuring Crowd Safety for Christmas Markets and Events

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Christmas is just around the corner.

As the summer draws to a close, the team at Crowdguard is already setting its sights on the Christmas markets and festive events that define the holiday season. We are diligently collaborating with clients to devise comprehensive crowd safety management strategies for a variety of seasonal events—from bustling Christmas markets to vibrant New Year’s celebrations.

Crowd Safety Management for the Festive Season

The influx of inquiries regarding crowd safety management for the festive season has already begun, a testament to our proven success in deploying the most effective safety solutions from our extensive selection of temporary and semi-permanent Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) and perimeter protection systems. During this busy period, we partner with local authorities and event organizers nationwide to deliver installations that safeguard against vehicle threats at Christmas markets and other festive gatherings. Our turnkey service ensures that we specify the most suitable and proportionate solutions, meticulously tailored to each unique situation, taking into account the assessed risks as well as the operational and commercial needs of our clients and their event locations.

Highway Care Claw protecting Edinburgh Christmas market

We deployed The Claw for Edinburgh’s Christmas events with customised branding to fit the festive mood.

A notable highlight of last year’s festive season was our collaboration with Edinburgh City Council, where we managed the security and crowd safety across multiple locations during their December events. This extensive project featured the integration of ATG Surface Guard, ARX Stopper!™, and The Claw systems, all complemented by seasonal branding that seamlessly blended with the city’s festive marketing. The result was a visually appealing, non-intrusive crowd safety management plan that met all Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) requirements.

Our services also extended to securing the city’s Hogmanay celebrations, where branded ATG Surface Guard systems and the RB50 rapid deployment HVM system were deployed to protect against vehicle threats as part of the road closure strategy for Princes Street’s New Year’s Eve events. All safety equipment was efficiently removed in the early hours of New Year’s Day, allowing normal traffic to resume.

Claire Miller, Edinburgh Council Senior Public Safety Officer said:

“Crowdguard was able to advise us on which HVM system to deploy where, accommodate our requirements to customise the installation with festive messaging, and, essentially, meet the need for prompt installation and de-rigging, concurrently in multiple locations. The whole thing ran very smoothly, visitors were reassured that their safety was being taken seriously, and we were able to extend a warm Edinburgh welcome to all!”

ATG Surface Guard was deployed at Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations

ATG Surface Guard was deployed at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations

Christmas Markets Across the Country

Branded HVM solution at Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas market

Custom branding on the ARX Stopper HVM solution deployed at Stratford-upon-Avon Christmas market

In numerous other locations, ranging from major cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and Newcastle, to charming market towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon and London locales like Battersea, we provided tailored HVM and perimeter protection for a wide array of Christmas markets. Each installation was customized to meet the specific crowd safety needs of the event. For instance, in Worcester, the ATG Surface Guard system was customized to promote a local jeweller, resulting in an 18% increase in sales during the Christmas market period—demonstrating the additional value that effective crowd safety management can deliver.

For the Stratford-upon-Avon Victorian Christmas market, we used customised festive branding on the ARX Stopper and ATG Surface Guard HVM deployments around the city centre, so that our kit would appear less obtrusive, as well as compliment the seasonal mood.

 

Plan Ahead for the Festive Season

This year has been exceptionally busy for Crowdguard, with a packed schedule of sports and events throughout the spring and summer. However, it is never too early to begin planning for the festive season and Christmas markets—especially when the safety of your attendees is paramount. We encourage you to reach out now to discuss your crowd safety management needs for the upcoming seasonal events. Let us help you ensure a secure and joyful festive season for all.

If you’re planning an event (small or large-scale), get in touch with the Crowdguard team to discuss your requirements. They can give you the best possible advice and provide a turnkey service to help you plan and implement strategies to keep people safe and protect crowded places with market-leading solutions installed by experts, designed to help you mitigate risk.

Tel: 0161 507 3434

Email: info@crowdguard.co.uk

Delivering commercial benefits and event protection at Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre

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Delivering commercial benefits and event protection at Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre

The Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre celebrated its 20th year last year, and Crowdguard was there to deliver protection against vehicle as a weapon attacks and vehicle incursions to help keep people safe while they enjoyed all the fun of the fayre.

Established in 1992, the Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre attracts visitors from far and wide, as well as local residents. Based in the historic city’s picturesque New Street and Friar Street areas, the event combines traditional Christmas markets with a range of entertainment and Victorian themed characters to create a festive occasion with something for all the family.

Worcester City Council is keen to ensure that the annual event is safe and secure for everyone, including visitors, traders and entertainers, and has

partnered with Crowdguard with a three year contract for hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) for the event. Our remit involves efficient and quality assured deployment of the ATG Surface Guard HVM system and Rosehill Security Rapid Defender vehicle security barrier (VSB) system at 11 strategic locations around the public realm locations where the Fayre is based.

Last year, the City Council also wanted to leverage any opportunities to boost business for local retailers as part of their event security strategy, and we were able to assist by customising the ATG Surface Guard modules located outside local jeweller, David Christopher. The pedestrian permeable HVM protection close to the David Christopher store not only included branding for the retailer, advertising a special offer, it also included a QR code that people could scan to access a code for the offer online. In this way, the retailer was able to track the effectiveness of the HVM advertising and reported that 18% of sales during the ATG Surface Guard deployment were thanks to response to the advertising and QR code.

Crowdguard’s approach to hostile vehicle mitigation is always to specify and deploy the most appropriate HVM system, aligned to the identified risk, operational factors and available budget. At Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre, combining Rapid Defender and ATG Surface Guard enables people to move around freely, while providing rapid access for emergency vehicles should it be required and effective protection from vehicles. Response rates to the David Christopher advertising also demonstrates that HVM protection can also deliver tangible commercial benefits for local businesses, enabling them to promote their business during periods of increased footfall.

Michelle Newell, City Centre Manager at Worcester City Council commented: “Keeping people safe while they enjoy all the city has to offer over the Christmas period is important to Worcester City Council. Crowdguard looks after the hostile vehicle mitigation for our Victorian Christmas Fayre each year, providing ATG Surface Guard and the Rapid Defender vehicle security barrier to 11 locations around the city, which means we have more than 200 metres of HVM equipment protecting people and businesses in Worcester during this busy period. They have also worked with us to benefit local businesses, customising the ATG Surface Guard outside a high street jeweller with advertising.”

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