Memorandum by the Amusement Catering Equipment
Society (TF 11)
The enclosed is the initial response of the
above society, known generally as ACES. Due to the short time
scale with which we have been faced it is not a fully researched
document and is only intended to give a feeling of how members
perceive the day to day problems.
We do realise that some things mentioned, whilst
desirable are not easy to implement, and we do not, at this stage,
offer solutions to some of the other issues raised.
ACES would be only too pleased to give further
help with this inquiry, and would welcome any request to ballot
our members for a more detailed opinion of the various aspects
that may be raised by yourselves or one of the other trade groups
that have a vested interest. We would be pleased also, to learn
the reason behind the inquiry in order that we may offer help
that is both constructive and relevant to the exercise.
The main aims of ACES include the following:
To help in the continuing effort to keep the
fairground and amusement industry alive and well in the United
Kingdom.
To promote members as being responsible people
in the community.
To represent members on all applicable government
bodies.
To regulate members in a way that ensures they
operate in a safe, courteous and responsible manner.
We, as the committee, can only fulfil these
aims by taking an active part in all things that concern the industry,
and see this inquiry as a very important event in which we must
be fully involved.
Geoffrey Thompson
Safety Officer ACES
PROBLEMS THAT SHOWMEN FACE
With reference to the above inquiry, Showmen
have over the years had many problems to overcome, some of their
own making it has to be said. Among the main areas that are cause
for concern are Transport, Living Accommodation, (winter and summer),
Staffing, Fuel costs and Lack of sites, and Education, Self employed
status.
I will start with Transport as this is the first
requirement of a travelling Showman. We are very pleased with
the concessions of Road Fund Licence that most of us enjoy, and
see it as only just, given that we are very low mileage users.
I would suggest that most of our members only move once a week
and then only a few miles. Someone travelling 150 miles would
be the exception, most will only travel around 30-40 miles on
average, each move. That might total about 3,000 miles a year,
which is most likely mile for mile more expensive than other road
users.
We do however feel the cost of fuel, and like
other road users, would like this to be brought into line with
our neighbours. The ability to use red fuel for generating is
of great advantage to us and whilst we could not expect that to
be permitted for our road vehicles, I would suggest that as fuel
price rises are inflationary, because the price is just passed
on, perhaps a green fuel is created for commercial vehicles that
carries a lower tax than that for private users. It is not easy
for Fairground ride owners to pass on a small increase in cost
and we have to absorb such rises until we reach a stage whereby
we can make a jump to the next suitable price. This is because
we are conditioned to have fees for rides in nice round figures.
The public would not accept £1.27p as a reasonable ride charge,
and we couldn't manage the change situation, with the time it
takes to collect, before each ride. Therefore we would need to
make price rises of more than what is required in order to recoup
our extra costs, as a big jump in price deters many people it
is likely that such price hikes are counter productive. I don't
see this as a problem that your inquiry could solve but is designed
to help put you in line with the thinking of the average Showman.
He wants to make a good profit but not as a highway robber.
Still with transport we have some problems of
classification. The current Rates of Vehicle Excise Duty "V149"
shows a classification of Showman's Haulage which we had previously
registered as. However, although it is still listed we cannot
get a vehicle in that group. When we asked for a description of
a Showman's haulage vehicle, so that we could commission one,
we got no help at all. In fact we were told to make the vehicle
we wanted and then they would give it a group. If they are capable
of giving a vehicle a group then, it follows that each group must
have a definition of what is required, however, no matter what
I do, they say there is no such detail available. One would assume
that the inspectors for this type of work are trained in some
manner to allow a consistent outcome. If so they must be informed
of what each group should consist of. We would be pleased to receive
a copy of these requirements so that we may more easily have vehicles
in the classification that most suits us. We are not asking for
anything new here we just want to know what the existing rules
are so that we can do our part lawfully. Perhaps as a new departure
you could compile a pamphlet that contains all information relevant
to Showman's classes of vehicles and trailers, including testing
requirements of both men and machines. This would be a great help
to us, as at the moment we have to refer to several documents
that are at times not all that clear and sometimes contradictory.
With due respect to my colleagues, the travelling way of life
has left many of them with an educational disadvantage, in that
they find difficulty with the printed word. To have to collate
information from various sources does nothing to help this situation.
A booklet as described would be of great benefit to all of us,
but more so for those with reading difficulties. This information
needs to be carefully presented in a form that is both clear and
unambiguous, perhaps with a careful use of graphics. Ninety nine
per cent of the Showmen that I know want to do the job right,
and most of those who get it wrong do so unwittingly.
I suppose that as I have introduced the topic
of education it is with that with which I should continue. As
stated, education has been a great problem, not that it isn't
any longer, but many Showmen now have bases from which they work.
No longer do they all take big Living Wagons around the countryside
week after week, but strike out for short periods often living
in small touring vans towed by 4x4's. This change in life style
has put in an element of stability that wasn't there previously,
this has allowed children to more readily attend school as a regular
pupil. I must point out that this does not apply to all Showmen
but I would suggest a good selection. For those who still travel
in the traditional manner some help is needed. As a teacher myself
of some twenty five years the itinerant pupil attending for a
week here and a week there is not going to progress as you would
expect. I feel that children are better suited if visited by a
tutor where they happen to reside at the time. I know this is
very difficult but these pupils are usually keen to learn, but
it should be accepted that the National Curriculum is not a suitable
vehicle for the needs of this group. They would probably show
teachers a thing or two about all matters artistic and mechanical
so why try to repeat this subject matter. A good grounding in
literacy and numeracy will be sufficient for most travellers,
providing there is an extension available to those who wish to
take a more traditional type of education. They will need help
to take any form of further education. It will not be cheap to
provide but could be done if there is the political determination.
The sum required will not be vast in governmental terms but head
for head will outrate anything a school could expect to receive
for each pupil. To help reduce costs it may be useful to develop
a self help work scheme that a pupil can work through largely
on his/her own with a regular tutorial to update and guide. It
may also be possible to put lessons on via the Internet but a
survey would need to be carried out to see if enough had access
to it to make it worthwhile. As staff time is the most costly
aspect of education any method of cutting down contact time would
be worth a look at. This includes cutting out irrelevant subject
matter.
Staff on Fairs is also a problem and many assistants
are part time workers. It is difficult to organise staff as they
are required for only short periods of time but on a very irregular
basis. Many Showmen have full time helpers but equally as many
need casual help. The Showman himself does not usually have a
problem with this but the status of a helper is somewhat in flux.
Although I personally have had little to do with it I believe
the new requirements of self employed status has had an adverse
effect on the ability to register self employed without being
a stake holder in the activity in which they are involved. I have
read about transport companies having difficulty in recruiting
casual drivers because they can't act as self employed as their
earnings fall way below the £30,000 a year they need to show
before they can register. I understand this is to keep tags on
itinerant builders and the like, but there are many Showmen who
don't earn that amount, never mind the staff. It is very difficult
to get the right staff and this situation needs to be cleared
so as to allow a proper system to be adopted, whereby Showmen
can have casual self employed staff working for them without infringing
any rules.
Good sites for travelling Fairs are being lost
year by year, this causes Fairs to move to less suitable sites
that are often in derelict areas of towns. This does nothing to
improve the image of the travelling Fair, which to some is seen
as seedy and on the fringe of the underworld. There are some Showmen
who do nothing to dispel that image and their activities have
a detrimental effect on us all.
On the continent many towns have areas that
are dedicated to travelling Fairs, circuses and other itinerant
entertainments. It is common for travellers to pull onto a site
and connect direct to electricity, water and sewage for their
domestic use and to electricity for their rides and shows. This
obviously cuts down on noise because they don't need to run generators
all day. It could be argued that it is also better for the environment
but as the electricity needs to be made somewhere there is always
some environmental problem. I could not imagine that anyone would
run out and make sites for Showmen which they could not afford
to pay for, but when re-developing town centres some sympathetic
planning could be employed and I suggest that removable planters
could be used, to replace static ones. These could be large enough
to have the stability required of a public artefact but still
within the limit of a fork lift truck which could move them away
when required. Other street furniture might receive a similar
treatment so that lampposts, benches and dustbins etc. are no
longer a hindrance. Many places have been re-paved with concrete
paving that are not strong enough to take the weight of the vehicles
we use so preventing us from using that site again. At the time
of development it would not be too expensive to use heavier paving
or a different surface finish, as the installation costs would
still be somewhat similar. However, a retrospective re-surfacing
could be quite beyond normal refurbishing costs.
I feel that all towns would benefit from a designated
events area on which they could have all manner of Fairs, circuses,
shows and exhibitions. It would be of benefit to any town and
would encourage organisers to attend if the services were suitable.
Obviously town councils would like to make a charge for this service,
but it should bear in mind that benefits are not always monetary,
and they have a duty to provide all manner of things to the towns
folk. At the moment we are pushed around various vacant plots
and then when they are turned into car parks councils won't give
up the revenue for a few days so an event can take place. Not
all Showmen, if any, are making vast profits, those with big modern
machines mainly have big modern bank repayments to make. Most
of ACES members operate vintage or smaller equipment that doesn't
have the earning power of some of the modern rides and therefore
could not afford a high profile site. But in return we do offer
a family show, whereas the modern Fair might deter parents with
young families due to the boisterous nature of the teenagers it
caters for.
Some councils will only allow Fairs provided
by members of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. Any suggestions
of a Fair by anyone else is unacceptable. Indeed we had problems
with one council who refused to even send a tender form to one
of our members. This of course is totally unacceptable, in the
event this particular problem was solved but I believe many councils
still have a policy of this kind. The SGGB alsohave a policy that
precludes integration with non-guild members. To a certain degree
I think this is acceptable, indeed, we at ACES would instinctively
offer any available space to other ACES members, but where we
are unable to get the equipment we want it is open to anyone who
can supply what is required and fulfil the safety requirements.
Over the last few years all the major trade
groups have helped to draw up the new Guidance notes with the
HSE and we all agreed to comply with that guidance. At some cost
it must be said. This being so all groups are now working to the
same standard and therefore should be accepted as equal. Any move
to rectify this situation would not only be welcome but essential.
That said we don't expect our members to attempt to take over
any other groups established Fairs, but use the opportunity to
create new events and widen the scope for all Showmen who should
be able to work together in a pleasant atmosphere of mutual benefit.
Neither do we expect our members to take on tenders which they
are unable to fulfil.
Most of our members find work at events throughout
the country, and few take on" "private business".
The difference being that eventers don't need to take on any responsibility
for the promotion of the event, that is done by the organiser
and the Fair is only part of the show or rally etc. When taking
on private business the Fair is the show and totally in control
of the organising Showman. He is responsible for all aspects of
the Fair from booking the site, getting permission and safety
inspections of the site from the local council, if it is on their
land and also from the services that may be concerned. The Fire
Service like to be involved at an early stage and usually have
good advice which, when taken can make life easier later on. If
recognised sites were made available it would be much easier to
provide a layout that would meet all the needs of the HSE, Fire
Service, Police and anyone else with a vested interest. We all
wish to provide a safe environment for our customers and good
sites would go a long way to achieving this at a higher level
than our already excellent standard.
When not working the Showman has still to keep
on the move, when a Fair is over he needs to move on to the next
event. However, he is lucky when he can move on to the next site
direct from one just ended. Usually he will need to park up somewhere
until he is able to get onto the next site. In this situation
the event does usually have the edge over private business. Most
events are held on Greenfield sites and when the event is over
there isn't the same urgency to remove from the site and likewise
it is often possible to arrive a day or so early. This doesn't
apply very often for those involved with private business, these
sites are often "car parks" "closed roadways"
or similar areas with another function that is required as soon
as the Fair is completed, often requiring the Showman to pull
down throughout the night and be away so normal business can resume
the next day. Having worked all day and night the Showman now
is faced with a further problem. To drive home or to the next
Fair or to park up and get some well earned rest. The safer option
is to get some rest but the change in law for camping in lay-by's
and the like intended to stop "New age travellers" makes
this very difficult and a simple amendment to that law would make
life a little easier for the Showman. If the Showman decides to
go to the next Fair he is still in this position because he will
have to wait at that venue. If he goes to what he calls home he
face the extra expense of the journey home and then out to the
next Fair. This is also undesirable for the environment, because
of the extra traffic and pollution thereby caused. We do need
to have the rules for overnight stays looked into, I feel sure
it is a reasonable request and not a great problem to fulfil.
When not travelling at all the Showman needs
somewhere more permanent to reside, and true to say most do have
some place they call home. This varies according to ones wealth
from a corner of a field to a modest house with a bit of land
used for parking the vehicles and carrying out the repairs required
to keep the equipment in a safe order. Some Showmen live in Showmen's
Winter Quarters which are very useful and create small communities
and often these groups of Showmen will work together to create
business each attending the Fair organised by their colleague
and reciprocating the arrangement at another Fair. During the
off season they also divide their skills to help with maintenance,
and modification. Apparently not all Showmen can return to their
quarters during the summer, I am not well read about this, but
as I understand it they don't pay full rates, as they are away
for part of the year as normally they will be travelling and not
using the quarters. The inability to return to quarters at will
I think is something that should no longer be allowed to be written
into the agreement for quarters as if nothing else it discourages
a return for proper repair work should something arise mid-season.
It has also been difficult to get planning permission to create
a Showman's Winter Quarters. I am not sure what the objection
to Showman's Quarters are, but of course being involved I agree
I do see one side of the matter more clearly than those not involved.
Travellers of any persuasion are often unjustly feared, it is
something to do with accountability and the transient, or ephemeral
way of life, coupled with a host of larger than life characters
only adds to this suspicion.
February 2000
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