Thursday 26th April 2007 ~ LOWESTOFT SEA FRONT AIR FESTIVAL

Paul Bayfield ~ summarised by David Swale

Appeared in Journal 509

The customary warm welcome was extended to Paul Bayfield, Director LSFAF Ltd, who was invited to talk about his very close involvement and association with the organisation and behind-the-scene activities that are so vital to the running of such a high profile event.

Billed as providing “Great Fun In The Sun On Lowestoft‘s Award Winning Beach” and now held over two-days at the end of each July at the UK’s most easterly location, the festival in 2006 attracted some 440,000 visitors. Instituted in 1997 the event was originally a one-day affair organised by the local council but as it grew funding couldn’t be guaranteed and that was when a group of “volunteers” stepped in to ensure that the event continued. Support was sought after and encouraged from local business and trade outlets and wherever possible these took part in the event to provide valued support for the local economy. The importance of this emphasised by the fact that charging an entrance fee wasn’t an option as the beach and promenade is an open access site for the public. This is where Paul and the team come into there own, selling some three miles of promenade space tot the trade and generating from that as much as the £400,000 needed to finance the event. Other corporate events also take place with a guest theme each year - in 2007 the Falklands Conflict will feature with invitations to veterans being processed as we report. Grants have been received from European sources which all help towards the event’s success and subsequent survival.

The logistical process beggars belief and encompasses everything from the essential services, coastguard, transport - park and ride, bus, coach and rail providers as well as safety exclusion zones right down to things we all take for granted but nevertheless is essential - litter bins and portaloo’s. Liability insurance also takes a massive chunk of the finance and when you hear of the ridiculous amount (thousands) that has to be paid to the exchequer in tax it puts the fund raising process into context.

Such is the success of the safety plan that it has been used as a “national model” by safety experts and essential service administrators for similar large events around the UK. With one exception everyone is a volunteer, the exception being the hiring in of a senior Civil Aviation Authority Administrator who has complete control over the essential part of the event, the airborne activities as well as the coordination of the event from the runway to the air and back to base whether it be to a local airfield, Norwich Airport or a military installation. As Paul said, you cannot just park up in the sky and turn up when requested!

Moving to the show’s exhibits these range from the top-class Red Arrows down to the nerve wrecking wing-walkers and dare-devil events featuring light aircraft. Sadly with the reduction in the availability of military aircraft generally for any number of reasons the event is reliant on actually being allocated flight path’s on any of the given days, this has now escalated European Air Forces who do not fell inclined to reciprocate as the RAF are unable to support European events as they use to. Hopefully though 2007 will bring a scoop in that the Vulcan has been requested and subject to its current engine and flying test and thus being granted certification it is hoped this will appear - watch out for the event literature and build up nearer the time! Also in the strategic plan so far is the possibility that a Catalina flying boat may land on the sea at this year’s event. In 2007 an added attraction during the event is going to be power boat displays which are a precursor to a “world class” power boat event that will take place the Saturday and Sunday immediately following the Air Festival. This in itself will have the effect of generating income for both the Air Festival and local economy. In the arena there will be hospitality events and hopefully the visit of a “road tyred” tank rolling along the promenade, but perhaps the prestige ground event is the “Meet the Pilot” centre which has proved very popular with not just the visitors but the pilots themselves. This is truly designed to be a family event.

As with any event where the public effectively have free access donations are actively sought after from visitors and it is a sad reflection on the population today that far too many visitors DO NOT CONTRIBUTE. A “Put a pound in the bucket” theme was introduced in 2006 in order to allow contributions to be made to ensure this event runs further than just on a year to year basis. Even allowing for families in the 440,000 crowd it would be expected that more than a meagre £60,000 would be collected. Bearing in mind that the donations included a £50 note, and several notes from the £20 - £10 - £5 denomination it further emphasises the “scrooge” element in today’s society.

Considering that Paul used no visual aides his presentation the audience’s attention was gripped throughout with a mix of humour (remember don‘t swim under a Harrier jet) for added enjoyment and the seriousness of being a leader of a dedicated group of people putting on a prestige event. There was absolutely nothing pretentious about Paul, he is just an enthusiast person (and Lowestoft businessman) who enjoys what he does and gets a lot of pleasure from seeing so many enjoy themselves at the event. He spoke from the heart throughout and forthrightly answered the many questions that were put to him before Steve Worsley proposed the vote of thanks and wished the 2007 Air Festival every success and support to which the audience responded appreciatively.

Front Cover.As reported last month, Ipswich Buses hybrid solo 245 has returned to service and can now be seen regularly on Service 38. Photo by Fred Ward

Rear Cover. Two photos of the new Freightliner Intermodal Class 66/5s. Both were taken at Ipswich station; 66594 was the first of the new batch to appear on Monday 30th April and photographed that day. The other of 66590 was taken on 5th May. Photos by Graham Hardinge.