BBC COUNTRYFILE CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK
Country Christmas Tim Etchells, managing director of SME London, talks all things BBC Countryfile Christmas in the Park
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or four years, BBC Countryfile Live, the four-day outdoor event, has been wowing fans of the hit BBC television programme with its own blend of outdoor activities, countryside education, and interactive content. Its absence from the summer events calendar in 2020 and 2021 was noted. The event – delivered by SME London – had big plans. Since 2020, it has been waiting to relocate from Blenheim Palace to Great Windsor Park, but COVID has twice applied the brakes on the largescale event’s big move. Until that day comes, Tim Etchells, managing director of SME London, has chosen to concentrate his efforts on delivering BBC Countryfile Christmas in the Park, a smaller, festive affair at Charlton Park, Malmesbury, home to WOMAD and the Earl of Suffolk. It’s an idea that he had around nine months ago when he realised that a summer show was out of the question. “We couldn’t do the summer show,” Etchells explained. “It’s so big that it is very difficult to scale down and if we did then people would have only compared it to previous years. “The BBC loved the idea of a festive event and they trusted us with the brand. They immediately got our ideas and the talent got it too – they said count us in.”
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WALK IN THE PARK
Etchells and SME London looked at several grand locations to host BBC Countryfile Christmas in the Park, including Bowood House, Wiltshire. Initially, the estate said that it would host the event but changed its mind. The Earl of Suffolk stepped in and “kindly agreed” for Etchells and his team to use Charlton Park for a family-friendly festive event from December 10-12. Etchells contracted Rupert Bassadone, founder of Event Site Design and Ops People, to support SME with site design, the exhibitor manual, operations, site management, licensing, and some elements of production and exhibitor management. Bassadone, who is also head of operations at WOMAD, understands the site more than anyone. However, at just seven acres, compared to WOMAD’s 350, BBC Countryfile Christmas in the Park was a walk in the park. In fact, the site is so small, and to preserve the estate, the decision was made to walk everywhere and have access to only one buggy.
NO COUNTRYFILE LIVE 2022
Mark out began on December 2 and Bassadone delivered the site alongside Rosie Lamb, freelance senior operations manager, and a site crew of six.
