
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
2| LOLLIPOP EVENTS
Surviving waves of disruption
We do a lot of work with business
improvement districts, town centres
and shopping centres. Our own
experience of adapting our business
strategy to guide us through the
recession helps us understand the
challenges facing our high streets.
Through events, we help our clients
achieve their aims. So, rather than
just putting on an event, we are very
proud to be contributing to building
communities, driving footfall to areas
that are in need of regeneration,
helping to put businesses in empty
shops and enabling consumers to
regain confidence in their local shops.
In short, we’re doing our part to
ensure a future for town centres.
Events are totally discretionary and
will be the first thing to cut when
times get hard. The recession hit the
events industry hard, and many event
companies went out of business.
Political events, technology and
consumer trends have a huge impact
on us. We must therefore constantly
think about how we can continue to
differentiate ourselves in the market
and look at what’s happening in
our clients’ world that may affect
our business. An example of that is
the recent news around the decline
of shopping centres. If they close,
we will lose customers, so we have
to consider new types of customers
and come up with new ways to keep
growing. You have to be nimble and
able to adapt quickly if you are going
to remain future-proof. By doing
this, we have increased turnover by
more than 100 per cent in the last
fiveyears.
Inclusion and reaching out
We have recently set up a not-for-
profit company so that we can help
community-led volunteer groups
raise funds to put on professionally
managed events. These customers are
groups that have previously run events
that have become so large that they
can no longer manage them. Through
this model, we can apply for grants
and sponsors, so that we get paid and
can make sure the events are safe,
enjoyable and well attended.
We have a goal to make all our events
completely inclusive to everybody
– every age and every ability. We
imagined what it would be like for
people with complex disabilities and
how likely they and their families are
to be able to enjoy public events. Most
event organisers will have arranged for
an accessible toilet and parking, but
Elegant Baby Shower
The Belvedere Holland
Park
Summer Festivals
The recession
hit the events
industry hard,
and many
event
companies
went out of
business
“
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