In Attendance
Brighton Pride : Paul Kemp, Dulcie Weaver, Kelly Poole
Facilitator : Chris Gull, chairman, The Rainbow Fund
Phil Bourton (Select Security); Jules Denes & Rasheeed (Older & Out); Philip Dows (MCC Brighton); Gary Pargeter, John Irvine, Philip Goyle (Lunch Positive); Bill Reagan (Sussex Beacon); Helen Jones (Mind Out); Finola & Babs (Rainbow Chorus); Keva Woodcroft (Fire Service Sussex Police)
Feedback : Lunch Positive
Felt very excluded on Saturday community area a very separate event – a hierachy of inclusion/exclusion.
Very quiet, not a great atmosphere the steel shield fencing created separation could not be seen from main park site.
Pride needs to remember core values
Philip – people who came over to the community area were saddened.
It takes 25 volunteers to make the LP offer happen Volunteers very upset and emotionally damaged, they are a shy marginalised group who wanted to be visible. Disappointed that lots of time was given by volunteers for very little return.
Accreditation was really problematic and time consuming for individuals.
Arguments at gates with security staff. Accreditation staff couldn’t cope with the numbers and it felt chaotic, this affected the moral of the members.
Tickets & Wristbands
Trader wristbands were a concept with little clarity about the details.
Only 4 would be issued per community stall, Paul offered tickets at £12.50 each and then I was told that I would have to pay £15 double slap in the face.
Preferred it when we were all together on one site Gary hopes that we can go back to that in the future.
we really want you here, the intention was to create a good space a community hub with large footfall. Need to be aware of issues at the gate and the need to argue to let people through.
Security & Stewards – Guys didn’t have a clue no supervisor to support them.
Pride are good friends of the organisation.
Feedback : Sussex Beacon
People couldn’t find the community village not visited by enough no one there but stallholders and was part of Pride’s big toe.
Arrived at 6.30am, couldn’t get in the area was fenced, no signs and no checks were made.
People said that it was impossible to find so people gave up.
Entrance to go through to the main site , wristbands were not being checked – Gate A entrance wouldn’t have worked.
No stand pipe available in the community village
Antiperspirant was removed from person – Children were told they were not allowed to bring rainbow flags into the park. One of the biggest issues was with staff not knowing the difference between a weapon and a small child’s flag. These things set the tone of the day.
Feedback MCC
Isolation and exclusion.
When first saw the map thought it would be more park of the park, went in to set up and then found that we couldn’t get back into the community village. Several other people couldn’t get in. Physically fenced in isolated and excluded.
Up to the side wanted to pay for the traders stall
takes on board the intent and the intention behind the area MCC Brighton want to be part of the main event. There wasn’t enough communication in letting people know inside the main event about the community area, lack of signage. Re location – if they can see us then yes otherwise its not suitable and needs to be relocated.
Feedback : Mind Out
Community Village wasn’t a great place to have a stall, not enough people.
Felt that it should have had Sheila McWattie tent and Access tent could be in the Community Village. If it was going to be like this next year then it wouldn’t be worth it. Preferred it when stalls were mixed up.
The Rotunda looked fun
It was a great idea, its been tried but the only way to integrate is by being inside the main body of the event, what’s most important is at the heart needed to be back inside, true inclusion and diversity it’s the message that is most important.
Feedback : Rainbow Chorus
Signage a huge issue too tucked away therefore completely marginalised. Can see that intentions were good for those people that wanted to have sobriety liked that they need to know hoe to find it.
Didn’t get to park until 5pm everyone was packing up security didn’t check my wristband. People were going in to the main event site with community wristband and were not being checked by security.
Feedback : Older & Out
Last year couldn’t get tickets so went to Pride office to get them and give them out to people.
Low footfall in community area
Signage lacking or non -existent
Rasheed : Had an amazing day – footfall low, unfortunate that green wall meant that we were unaware when people from parade might come in.
Had to charm security to get back in.
Main arena didn’t get that busy until 5pm hated to leave at last minute.
Did feel like in Clapham Common be great to see our people represented five performers on trans stage, these were sensational. Overall, the site did feel safe across the majority of the park however, interaction with security and the access were an issue and will need to be address and improved going forward.
Phil Bourton of Select Security responds:
We are aware of issues at the gates. There was no intention to be confrontational and argue. There was a problem with the large number of different types of wristbands that slowed checking and entry. Due to the large resource required for the event, security staff have to be drawn from across the UK so many do not have local knowledge. All staff are briefed on the event and the types of participants, and are instructed to be respectful and professional at all times.
Paul Kemp of Brighton Pride responds:
Thanked everyone for coming – frustrating to hear that there were a few issues in this area as we had put a lot of thought in to the new layout.
Paul has been involved in Pride for many years and was on Clause 28 March and other protests. Paul stepped away from the previous Pride organisers as they didn’t raise money. He is very passionate about what Pride means and it is now very different to what it used to be. It was an unmanaged and unregulated event before Brighton Pride CIC inherited it when it was first fenced.
Community feedback from previous years asked for a dedicated space like the one put in place this year. (2018)
Intention was to make an area that was fully accessible.
There was a special dedicated page on the Pride website about the community village.
Trans Community Area & Coco Butter were included in the 10,000 maps handed out to people attending the event.
There have quite clearly been issues that have gone wrong, footfall from parade should have come in through Gate A and this didn’t happen.
Pride will consider different options for 2019 and will look at how and where groups are located and which area is most appropriate. It’s a shame it clearly hasn’t worked, we failed to deliver the space as we intended.
Many groups leave it until very late to engage with Pride, sometimes less than a month before, and we would like to engage earlier in 2019. Communication beforehand would be much better as Pride wants to be involved in the wider community.
The intention was to create a community hub with space and a large footfall, while creating an area with cheaper tickets for vulnerable community groups in a safer dedicated community space.
Access to the Family Area and children’s play area had to be restricted as it was so busy, so we have to look at route round another way and will look at that going forward.
The Preston Park site is challenging for Pride in keeping the council happy. We will look at location, signage, maps in strategic places around the park, maybe colour coded maps.
Pride will take your comments and feedback into consideration when planning the Community Village and Pride Festival 2019.
Actions:
- Review location of Community Village
- Increase signage and maps in strategic places around the park
- Review locations of stand pipes
- Review access and security proceedures
- Review/simplify accreditation and wristbands for stallholder and traders
- Engage with community groups earlier in the planning process
Next Meeting:
- February 2019 (tbc) – please sign up to Community Groups Mailing List to be notified.
