Olivia PowellWhat: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
When: 21 November – 5 January
Where: London
Agency: IMG
Access caught up with Suzy Griffiths, senior event director of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland for IMG…
What were the key challenges this year?
The main challenge for this year was uncertainty surrounding Brexit, with so much of our content and resources coming from Germany, Holland and Belgium. We didn’t know what impact it would have on things like import and export rules and visas for staff, which meant we had to prepare a series of mitigation plans ahead of 31 October.
How have you kept the event exciting?
We added a 70 metre-high Giant Wheel – the tallest trailer-mounted, transportable wheel in the world. We worked closely with the manufactures to make sure we not only had the world exclusive, but that the design worked for our event, including ensuring the gondolas were wheelchair accessible and fully heated and insulated. Additionally, we worked with leading theme park Europa-Park to bring its Paddington On Ice show to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. This is the first time that they’ve toured it outside of the park and it’s been really well received by everyone. We also enhanced the F&B offering with a new bookable sit-down restaurant Cedar + Spruce Bar & Kitchen where visitors can enjoy a full turkey Christmas dinner for the first time at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Due to popular demand, we increased the size of and added new vendors to the street food market, and Peppermint has done a fantastic job with its enhanced décor and theming.
What key suppliers did you use?
Health & Safety support comes from Redwood Event Solutions Ltd; Gallowglass for security; EEP for Stewarding. Power Logistics assisted us in implementing new battery technology and power monitoring. Also, this is our first year working with GBF Ltd for Green D+ Bio Diesel across our Generators and Plant to ensure that all our generators are powered with Hydro-treated vegetable oil instead of crude oil.