issue 19

Inflated News, INPA, INPAS 2010,

Issue 19September 2009 INPA / TIPE recognises the work of the following organisations Incorporating ‘Inflated News’ & ‘Indoor Play News’ WELCOME to the all new The FREE magazine for the leisure, play & attractions industry Meet some of the INPA / TIPE team on stand A174 at LIW 2009 from 22nd - 24th September at the National Exhibition Centre Birmingham Register for your FREE visitor pass today INPA INPA

Peter Grand Owner/Editor Inflated News Play & Attractions Welcome to the first full edition of the new INPA magazine. Since January we have been planning the expansion of INPA to include all sections of the play, leisure & attractions industry and you will notice that this issue is significantly larger than usual as this is due to the increased content I would like to welcome the Play Providers Association (PPA), British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums (BIAZA), Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the National Farm Attractions Network (NFAN) who join the RPII, IPMA, AIMODS, PIPA and SAFEchild as regular contributors to INPA. The PPA represents indoor play centres and will provide content of interest to the indoor play centres that are included in our circulation. The NFAN represents farm attractions across the UK and will provide information of interest to this sector. If you are involved in an organisation that represents any of the sectors featured within INPA and would like to get your message across please contact INPA for further information. I also welcome our first time readers and hope you will find INPA of interest and a benefit to you in running your business. Our circulation has increased by almost 300 for this issue May I remind you that we will be at LIW later this month so if you are involved in play, leisure or attractions and would like to find out more about INPA please come and see us on stand A174 Plans are now well underway for INPAS 2010 so make sure you have the dates in your diary Tuesday 16th - Wednesday 17th March 2010. INPAS 2010 will be the largest UK show dedicated to the play, leisure and attractions industry in 2010 and will be your opportunity to view all the latest products and talk to industry experts on all manner of topics. Peter Grand Editor The next edition of will be December 2009 Send in your comments, suggestions or questions and we will include as many as possible Closing date for copy 28th October 2009 Please send your comments, suggestions, questions or requests to us at: INPA First Floor 41 Roseheath Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP1 2NG or send by email to editor@inflatednews.co.uk Unauthorised reproduction/distribution by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this publication and all advertisements and articles that appear are accepted in good faith, Grand Affairs Group / Inflated News / employees and editor, cannot accept legal liability for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies, nor responsibility for the actions of advertisers or any organisation mentioned in the text Grand Affairs Group / INPA do not endorse any of the services or products advertised Printed in the UK © 2006-2009 Grand Affairs Group All rights reserved 3 INPA

4 INDEX Regular readers will notice a number of differences in this issue the first of which is the introduction of this INDEX page. The increase in content to cover all areas of leisure, play and attractions means that individual sectors will have specific interest and this index will allow all to see exactly where specific areas are. That being said there are articles and information throughout the magazine that will be of interest to all so we recommend all readers browse through the whole magazine Page 5 INPA - New Name - New Content Page 6 Letters To The Editor Page 12 - 21 Indoor Play Centres Page 16 Mike Boyle’s Indoor Play News Page 19 Anita Waddell’s - Marketing Hints Page 25 - 29 Farm Attractions Page 36 SAFEchild - Updates on ISA Page 37 - 41 Zoos and Aquariums Page 42 - 62 Inflatable Play Tel: 01491 573100 / 07841 872907 email: funfactor74@hotmail.co.uk website: www.fun-factor.co.uk Repair servicePIPA Qualified tester Artwork touch ups And alterations New units made to your specifications WE NOW ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS

INPA - NEW NAME - MORE CONTENT For those who are regular readers of the old Inflated News you may wonder why we decided to change our name. From the outset Inflated News was directed entirely at the bouncy castle hire industry but over the past two years we have increased our circulation to include attractions, Local Authorities, indoor play centres, farm attractions and others who either come into contact with inflatable play equipment or are installing on their sites. Almost 40% of our readers are now from outside of the bouncy castle hire industry. It became apparent that all sectors of leisure, play and attractions have common areas such as ISA’s, marketing, Health and Safety, annual testing etc and we felt that it was time to offer sectors outside of the bouncy castle hire sector more articles relevant to them whilst at the same time give interesting comparisons for all to read. In order to reflect the broader scope of the magazine it was decided to change the name to INPA . The name may well change again at some point in the future. With indoor play centres making up about 15% of our readers we looked at the market and found Indoor Play News produced by Mike Boyle. Following discussions with Mike it was agreed to incorporate Indoor Play News into INPA with Mike continuing to write the content in his own style. Mike also convinced Anita Waddell of Agility Marketing to write a regular feature on marketing ideas and I’m sure all of our readers will benefit from this. In addition The Play Providers Association (PPA), The National Farm Attractions Network (NFAN), Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and others were approached and you will see from this issue that all are making a contribution. As time goes on there will be others contributing. Add to this content from IPMA, RPII, AIMODS, TIPE, PIPA, SAFEchild and all industry sectors will find INPA a wealth of information to help all find something of interest to assist them in running a safe and successful business. To accommodate the extra information this issue has been increased in size by some 60% and future issues will be increased as necessary. The INPA team anticipates that the magazine will have doubled in size by the end of 2010. The mag is also divided into different sections covering the individual sectors. The INPA team have considered the A5 format and have decided to retain it in its current form. This enables us to keep production and distribution costs in check thus making INPA extremely attractive for advertisers. INPA welcomes all comments from its readers so let us know what you think. INPA thanks all of its contributors for their input and look forward to further developments in the coming issues. 5

If you have any comments, requests or information send your letters, emails or call the Editor at the Inflated News office. We will include as many as we can in each edition. Email:“Could you please publish in your next issue that the ISA doesn't cover Scotland, the article in the current issue implies that it is UK wide but we are not currently covered by this scheme, we are covered by the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Act (Scotland) 2007, which intends to interact with the ISA scheme but is not currently doing so. Also in Scotland we are not covered by the CRB checks, these are done through the Scottish equivalent, Disclosure Scotland. All our supervisory staff are currently Disclosure Scotland checked, some of these being at Enhanced level.” Mark Brown Threeway Services Aberdeen Editors reply: This is correct. The Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland has its own. However, the two schemes will be aligned, share information and recognise each others’ bars. An individual barred anywhere in the UK will be barred across the UK. Telephone call: “I have received a letter (attached) from Peter Morrell offering to test my units. In your June issue you reported that a Prohibition Notice was in place by HSE and I would like to know if this is till current.”Concerned operator ( name supplied) Editors reply: This is correct. Mr Morrell has appealed against the Prohibition Notice and also applied for it to be suspended. The appeal is set to heard on the 11th August 2009 so the PN will remain in force until this date. If his appeal is unsuccessful then the PN will remain in force until such times as Mr Morrell complies with the conditions of the PN or the PN is suspended. Please be aware that the PN only applies to Mr Peter Morrell. Email:“I have received a letter from the PRS saying I need a licence if I play music for my staff. Is this a scam? I have also received a telephone call from somebody claiming to be from PRS.”Party Time Leisure - Editors Reply: INPA received a number of calls asking if this was a ‘scam’. The straight answer is no it is not a scam. A public performance licence from PRS is required for any 'mechanical performance' of copyright music as a background to work, meals, rest rooms or breaks at work places in the UK. The term covers recorded music played on CD as well as music playing on a radio or television set. So providing a TV in a staff canteen requires an employer to buy an annual PRS music licence, not just a TV licence. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has criticised actions of the Performing Right Society (PRS) which represents music creators and publishers. PRS licenses the public performance of music in all workplaces. 6 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UK company Innovative Leisure, which specialises in the supply of interactive family attractions, has installed a new three tree Coconut Tree Climb attraction at the recently opened 360 Play venue in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The new attraction is one of a number of climbing products available from Innovative Leisure and has been added to the new Club 360 outdoor area at 360 Play where it is already proving a popular addition to the varied array of rides, attractions and activities on offer. Inside, 360 combines the familiar play frames, slides and ball ponds popular with children, with opportunities for imaginary play and developing creative skills with an adult. The new outdoor Club 360 area adds further to the venue’s offering of an unique experience in educational play for children aged 0 to 12 years old. “We wanted a climbing experience that both fitted with our theme and gave us an experience that could be done again and again,” commented 360 Play’s Managing Director Duncan Philips.“The Coconut Tree fits beautifully with our Club 360 holiday theme and offers a variation on the standard climbing experience offered in many locations. Phil and his team have been great at understanding the needs of our new area and making sure the climbing experience matches our expectations.” Based on the popular climbing walls and towers already supplied by Innovative Leisure, the Coconut Tree Climb is just that – a vertical climbing experience up the trunk of a pseudo coconut tree. Available with two or three trees, the attraction is fully themed with realistic bark finish and fake leaf fronds at the top. The units are held in place by a steel frame and also feature an auto-belay safety system on each tree incorporating certified auto-belay cables. 8 INNOVATIVE LEISURE INSTALLATION A RESOUNDING SUCCESS

INNOVATIVE LEISURE INSTALLATION A RESOUNDING SUCCESS A climber timer is another of the attraction’s features, adding more fun and a competitive element to the experience, with a buzzer fitted to the top of each tree. Quick harnesses are utilised, as are swivels and carabineers, while covering the steel framework behind the trees are full length, full colour and suitably decorated banners to complement the overall theming. The attraction is available in mobile and static, outdoor and indoor models, all versions being approximately 26 feet in height including the leaf fronds. “We are delighted with the installation of the Coconut Tree Climb at 360 Play,” noted Innovative Leisure’s Managing Director Phil Pickersgill.“Attractions such as this are seen as healthy by parents and an exciting challenge by children and obviously offer a physical activity as opposed to a more passive one, which parents like to see their children participating in. They are also suitable for a wide age range, from young children to adults, and it is an ideal addition 360 Play for the older children – and of course their parents if they fancy having a go! I’m sure it will be a great success for Duncan and his team.” For further information please contact: Phil Pickersgill, Managing Director, Innovative Leisure, Ltd. Tel. + 44 (0)116 288 7263. Email:info@innovativeleisure.co.uk 9 Following further expansion at our Leicester Factory we are looking to appoint THREE FULL TIME MACHINISTS FULL TIME ARTIST Email - mel@jumpjump.co.uk for full details

G & G Inflatable Castle Repairs, Testing and Sales 12 x 12 and 15 x 15 from £999 Call Gaz or Graham for further details Tel: 01162 897714 Mobile: 07860422134 E-mail:gazinflate@aol.com www.inflatablecastles.com TESTING PIPA test and certificates. Standard test available REPAIRS Units picked up from your address Repairs while you wait. Units altered to PIPA specification ITEMS FOR SALE Fans GIBBONS and POWERFANS Stakes and repair kits. Bungee belts and cords. Velcro suits. Sumo sets Gladiator bashers WANT TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT WITH YOUR ATTRACTION ON YOUR WEB SITE? ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A VIDEO PROFESSIONALLY MADE? LET SPIDERS WEB FILMS SHOW YOU WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED AT A SENSIBLE COST! Web clipsz Advertisementsz Presentationsz Events Photographyz Music Videosz Training Filmsz Web Design z Virtual Toursz www.spiderswebfilms.co.uk For further details and prices call 01494 678699 or email info@spiderswebfilms.co.uk PO Box 975 Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 1UQ

13 INDOOR PLAY CENTRES INDOOR PLAY CENTRES

WEATHERING THE SUMMER. What an incredible May and June indoor play had this year, unfortunately it was incredibly bad! However bright a vision I try to paint we truly could play the game ‘Spot the Customer’. Activity World’s door takings were actually 50% down on the worst month we had ever had. I didn’t have anything to do with the credit crunch, it was simply that it hardly rained for those two months, and it certainly didn’t rain when we really needed it to, which was at the weekends and during half term week. Thankfully things are getting better for the weather in July has been in our favour. As this column is written before August we will have to see who is smiling at the end of the summer. This whole weather thing got me thinking, as it is clear that indoor attractions, such as play areas, shopping centres and bingo halls all want the rain, whereas the farm and theme parks, the garden centres and the seaside resorts all want the sunshine. The result is that indoor operators are considered miserable gits and the outdoor people are the life and soul of the party. This is not strictly true, as we only want it to rain up to about 2pm, so people will have decided on their activities for that day. After that it doesn’t matter. There is of course a third party involved in this tug of war and that is the poor weather forecaster. I am a member of BALPPA, the leisure attractions’ trade association and a regular topic arising in meetings is how negative the forecasts are, and there has even been a threat of legal action to make them more positive. From my standpoint I would say the forecasts are not negative enough! The reality of the situation is that forecasters can’t win, and generally I don’t think they have much hope of getting it right anyway. Bearing in mind I have been sitting in sunshine in my garden and thirty miles away my sons have had a day of continuous rain shows how localised the weather can be. The only guaranteed forecast is when there is a high pressure system over us without a cloud within 500 miles. It must be great to be a weather forecaster in Cyprus, as clouds don’t exist there. I then had one of those eureka moments (or some of you may consider it madness). Previously in an effort to attract custom we would start discounting, but the public would then just wait until it was raining to take advantage of the vouchers. As we are stuck with a lot of sunny weather, why not promote it? We have launched a sunshine voucher which you can only use when the sun is shining. It seemed a good idea to me in that it would ensure it would be used when it was going to be quiet and it could mean that the public would be thinking about us even on warm sunny days. We are going to have to be a bit flexible in interpretation, for if the sun goes in between them getting out of the car and getting to the front desk we could end up with a long queue waiting to get in. I have no idea whether this will work, but when you are desperate anything is worth a try. If I am still around for the next newsletter I will let you know. MIKE BOYLE’S - INDOOR PLAY NEWS 16

17 MIKE BOYLE’S - INDOOR PLAY NEWS WELCOME TO OUR NEW CONTRIBUTORS In an effort to make this magazine both topical and informative I felt it would be worth having a page which gave sensible tips on marketing your leisure business, and I felt I had just the right person to provide you with that help. I have asked Anita Waddell from Agility Marketing to put regular pen to paper to give you some ideas. I think she talks a lot of sense so if you think the same you are welcome to get in touch with her. The business specialises in helping leisure attractions with between 40,000 and 400,000 annual visitors and Anita can be contacted atanita@agility-marketing.co.uk I know in the next issue Anita is going to look at email marketing so if you have any questions get in touch with her now. I am very pleased that three trade associations have come on board so far and so there are introductory articles from BIAZA, the PPA and the NFAN. They will be providing a regular update of their activities in future issues. In addition ROSPA are going to do the same with what is happening with health and safety issues in leisure and in their first article they have covered the subject of the value of having your play area inspected. I am sure they would all like to hear from you if you have any questions or are interested in using their services. FREE ATTRACTIONS DO HIT US HARD In an effort to show that we will be interested in writing about all types of leisure activity I have just attended what I would rate as one of the most exciting and enjoyable events I have ever seem, and just to show that I am slightly cultured, it was an art show in Bristol. It was the temporary exhibition by Banksy, which runs to the end of August. I drove for two hours to get there for when it opened and when we arrived the queue was huge. Having got into the queue at 09:50 we finally got through the doors at 12:20 and I can tell you it was well worth the wait. Whether you are interested in art or not, this put a new perspective on the subject and certainly brings art to the masses. Of course one of the reasons the queues were so long was that the event was free and with the current economic squeeze it was a great way for parents to entertain the kids (which is hard work in a queue) for very little outlay. Certainly I wouldn’t say the see through donation boxes were well used. The issue for me was that it is great for the museums to get government funding to allow everyone to have the opportunity to visit them, but it also creates a totally distorted playing field in trying to compete. It is hard enough for us to persuade parents to part with £4.95 for effectively a whole day of entertainment, so when it is raining (as it was that day) we would want the public to see us as a very affordable form of entertainment. That is hard when the museums are all free!

The PPA ASPIRE Awards are set to return for 2009 after a successful launch event last year. ASPIRE is the “Awards for the Play Industry Recognising Excellence” and are designed to provide a focal point in the indoor play calendar and unite the sector recognising those operators who are making great leaps , taking the industry forward and operating outstanding centres. This years event is supported by Pelican Buying Company, Attractions Expo- Leisure Industry Week, The Association of Play Industries (API), TL Dallas and various suppliers supporting the 10 ASPIRE award categories and is set to take place on the 22nd September at The Manor Hotel in Meriden. The event is combined with member’s visits to the Play Providers Conference held at the LIW at the NEC (22nd-24th September) and the PPA AGM. The ASPIRE Awards, showcase the very best of indoor play centres, and the dinner itself is open to everyone in the sector. The evening promises to provide excellent opportunities for networking and is a great way to bring together operators and suppliers for a fantastic night of entertainment. Last year saw over 100 people from the Industry attended the first ever ASPIRE Awards. Mark and Jo McNulty from Hippodome, one of non members present were really impressed by the event“I just wanted to congratulate the PPA on last night's awards dinner. Not only was it a great networking event, but an excellent, well organised dinner” ASPIRE tickets include a 3 course formal dinner, Pre Awards entertainment and a disco taking you through to the early hours. To book your place for the dinner, please visit www.playproviders.org.uk/aspirebooking and complete the online booking form or contact Debbie Goddard on 02476 414999 ordebbie@sportsandplay.com. The awards are open to all PPA members to enter and to find out more information on the categories and the judging process please visit the PPA website. ASPIRE is open for entry from the 24th July to the 31st August. The Play Providers Conference at Leisure Industry Week consists of 2 days of workshop and sessions providing operators with opportunities to benchmark best practice, gain new ideas and also develop their understanding of new topic areas. The Conference is open to all people operating an FEC in the UK and beyond and is an invaluable source for advice and tips on surviving in the industry. For more information on the attending the sessions and booking your free place please visit www.playproviders.org.uk/ppf. PPA ASPIRE AWARDS RETURN TO LIW FOR 2009 18

19 By the time you read this, you will have planned your October campaign. Are you maximising results? Have you covered all areas? In this article, I want to share how you can use occasions, like Halloween to increase footfall. These comments, could however, equally apply to any external event like National Family Week or Christmas. Keep ROI in mind when developing your product.Halloween enables you to be extra creative and it’s easy to get carried away with fantastic ideas that are expensive to implement. Think practically about the budget you want to commit, taking into account the footfall and income it will generate. You don’t want the event to be a disappointment, but likewise, there is no point developing the best Halloween event in the world, if you can’t afford to promote it. Good ideas don’t have to be expensive. Trails are fantastic for Halloween, alongside fancy dress competitions. Can you get all your staff to dress up to add ghoulish theming? Can you dress up your mascot? Could you get a cauldron and organise a lucky dip with written off shop stock? Give visitors more opportunities to come.We see so many people running a Halloween event for one day or a weekend. The longer you can hold the promotion, the longer you have to maximise income. Why not run your Halloween events every October weekend? Maximise repeat businessHalloween should be promoted on-site from mid August through posters, flyers and to ensure the last thing they remember is Halloween, a vinyl banner at the exit. Email newsletters and social networking sites are also great ways of informing your existing customers. Exploit free publicityHalloween is always topical and a great opportunity for PR in local newspapers and radio. Ensure you also submit the event to appear free on day out web sites, as well as within family listings magazines. Make your advertising consistentOnce you’ve decided on the product, brand it all under a spooky name. Also decide on which elements are the strongest reasons to visit and push these elements first. Any promotional flyers, onsite posters, adverts etc, should also have the same look and feel. Maximise secondary spendThink about how you can rebrand items on site to maximise secondary spend. For example your cherry squash, could it become Dracula’s Thirst Quencher? AN OPERATORS VIEW Mead Open FarmDuring the October half term, Mead Open Farm have their busiest week of the year. I asked owner Matt Heast to describe his event and why he thinks it’s so successful.“For families with children under 10, we have worked hard to create an event that isn’t too scary but still provides plenty of ghoulish fun. Alongside pumpkin carving, we have a spooky barn containing themed stage sets (with three of the scenes within a special X-rated section for the older children), a phantom trailer ride, the field of terror, fancy dress competition and a Witches Trail. All our marketing/PR is handled by Agility and we start to promote Halloween onsite to visitors from mid August. To encourage word of mouth publicity, the event also starts a full week prior to the school holidays. It’s a formula that works for the under 10’s age group”. ANITA WADDELL’S COLUMN

20 For our first input into INPA, we wanted to give a brief overview about the Play Providers Association and the membership package that we offer to over 100 indoor play operators. In forthcoming issues – our input will be more news based but this article is to provide background information about the association and also our program for the Play Providers Conference and ASPIRE Awards 2009. We hope to see all operators at the show… Background to the PPA The Play Providers Association is a not for profit trade association representing the operators of indoor play centres across the UK. Established in 2006, the PPA, aims to promote, develop and protect the interests of all businesses engaged in providing enclosed play facilities. Remit The PPA has 4 key areas of involvement to assist its membership… 1. Cost Savings Benefits The PPA works alongside a number of industry suppliers who provide PPA members with discounts (eg- food and beverage items, insurance, and inspections). PPA members also have access to cost saving benefits and services provided via the Federation of Sports and Play Associations (FSPA) such as excellent credit card processing rates and a legal support helpline. These cost savings in the majority of cases- cover the cost of PPA membership alone. 2. Lobbying and Raising the Industry’s Profile The PPA is constantly lobbying on behalf of its members to raise the industry’s profile. Steered by the PPA committee made up of representatives from the membership, the PPA is actively involved in pushing forward the profile and significance of the industry, and moving away from the old image associated with “soft play” towards a higher quality of leisure attraction. We have held various meetings with the likes of the DCSF, Play England, DH, Mend, the API, and a variety of brands. Our ultimate aim is for indoor play to be included in government strategy and for PPA members centres can be used to increased physical activity levels in children in line with the obesity crisis. We are delighted this year to be supporting the Change4Life government campaign and will be running a play4life campaign in member’s centres this September. This campaign has received support from the Department of Health which is a very positive step forward for indoor play. The lobbying will continue although there is no doubt that we need to focus on driving awareness of the PPA among play operators and increasing membership too so that we have a stronger voice. 3. Raising Standards and Promoting Best Practice The PPA logo is the sign of a safer playcentre and signifies conformance to the PPA Code of Practice. We actively encourage our members to use the PPA logo to promote their high standards and aim via our involvement in campaigns such as with the likes of Disney and Sainsbury’s to increase the awareness of the PPA amongst the general public. PPA - THE PLAY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION

21 4. Networking The establishment of the PPA has led to a community of operators being created. The PPA is the forum for operators to share ideas and best practice. The main way which the PPA facilitates this is through ever popular PPA regional meetings which are held in various centres throughout the country on a regular basis. These meetings allow industry issues to be discussed and they provide an invaluable networking opportunity as do other PPA events throughout the year including the PPA ASPIRE Awards and the Play Providers Conference at LIW. In addition the PPA also carries out research to ascertain industry trends via the annual State of the Industry survey which is a great benchmarking exercise and allows you to compare you site with industry averages and see how you are performing. Finally every week there is an email update sent to all members containing the latest industry news and information keeping you up to date with the latest developments from the PPA and industry as a whole. The PPA at LIW 2009 The Play Providers Association is supporting Leisure Industry Week again this September. We are putting on a 2 day conference for play operators including seminar sessions and interactive workshops. The full 2 day conference program is available on the PPA website. On Tuesday 22nd September we will also be holding the PPA AGM and the ASPIRE Awards (Awards for the Play Industry Recognising Excellence). The ASPIRE Awards are open to all operators this year as well as PPA members and are part of a fantastic evenings entertainment. 10 ASPIRE awards will be presented and the evening is the highlight of the PPA’s calendar. For more information about booking a ticket to the 2009 ASPIRE Awards, please visitwww.playproviders.org.uk . All operators are welcome to attend. “Cheeky Chimps joined the PPA over 18 months ago and have certainly found great benefits from being members. We attended the PPA workshop sessions at the LIW in Sept 08 and not only was the information provided by the executive team invaluable but listening to other owners experiences helped too. It was a great opportunity for us to meet other owners who were having similar issues or even better could offer solutions to our problems. The sessions are a great opportunity to network and all members must make the effort to attend. Myself and Kerry have already implemented changes to our services based on knowledge taken from these sessions and it has made a positive impact in our business.“- Liz Davies- Cheeky Chimps How to join the PPA Annual Membership to the PPA is just £250+VAT (single site- invoiced pro rata). To join the PPA you need to sign up to our code of practice, provide the relevant inspection documentation inline with our criteria for membership and also copies of your insurance documents. We have a membership pack available with much more information and various testimonials from PPA members. To obtain a pack or for more information about joining please ring Kate Costin on 02476 414999 (205) or email kate@sportsandplay.com PPA - THE PLAY PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION

MIKE BOYLE TALKS TO VINCENT YOUNG 22 I have asked Vincent Young who runs KidzBiz in Palmers Green, London to feature in this issue as he took over the site (formally called Clowntown) in November 2008. He has a great perspective as he was previously the General Manager of the site for seven years. Talk about ‘Out of the frying pan! - MB’ What have been the best and worst things about working in the play industry?The best thing was when I was employed, (you remember the times when you had a set wage every month), and there was a sustained, hot, sunny period which meant that there were no customers and as a result there were no problems apart from getting the staff to go home, unpaid! The worst thing was when we had a period of sustained rain. You know what it’s like when you were bombarded with customers’ saying you don’t have enough parking / chairs / tables / choices on your menu / ride-on toys / and that your toilets are filthy even though they had just 5 minutes ago been cleaned and last but not least every ones favourite line “ it‘s too busy in here….this business must earn a fortune !” It was those times when you just felt like grabbing your coat, passport & credit card and head off somewhere HOT…ala….Mr Alan West(who was at Kidsplay Milton Keynes and disappeared off to a Greek island - Comment MB) Can you tell us about any amusing event in the play business?Seeing Paul Sharp after two or three shorts….. What is the worst customer story you can give us? I remember only too well getting a mouthful from a customer. I had called her children off from the equipment and sat them up at our reception area as their parents had gone off shopping. The children were aged 3 to 8yrs and there were 7 of them!! Our centres rules were that 1 guardian must remain on-site for every 4 children in playing. The children had no contact numbers for their parents so I stayed with the children for 20 minutes until the parents returned. As the parents came through the door they saw their children and I said to them that they could not do this and that they were very irresponsible in doing so. The children were crying by now and they said “why did you leave us ?” only for the Mother to turn straight to me and say you have made my children cry like this, you are the irresponsible party here and with that they all left, all NINE of them in a SEVEN seater !! If that’s not a further example of irresponsibility then I don’t know what is.

KIDZBIZ What trends do you see happening in the next few years?What a difficult thing to judge. I am sure you will all agree that money is tight all-round. The next few years will be about reinventing yourself on a regular basis as effectively and cheaply as possible, but in the eyes of the customers giving them something that looks different and great value for either them or their children to use. People need a good reason to use you repeatedly. You will also need offers to assist you through the summer months, things like free teas & coffee’s, reduced entry prices, early morning Toddler-Time sessions, entry voucher packs, loyalty schemes etc, just choose what might work for you…..and then continue what does work for you for the week days when you may not be too busy. Other than the above find yourself something else to do and then sell up !! Any interested parties, give me a call…… What would I have done differently?I decided to purchase round tables and chairs with arms, the aluminium styles bistro table types as I had had enough of people dragging the old square ones all over the place, butting them together to extend their tables and leaving the place looking a complete mess. In hindsight, square ones are the ones to have as they are just more flexible in this type of environment and do not buy chairs with arms as they may be more comfortable but they just take up too much space around the table What’s been the most successful thing you have done?Moving to On-line Party Bookings with a system I have had written for me. What has gone badly wrong?Nothing yet, however, I’m sure I could answer this question next year…. What advice would you give to anyone new or recently joined the industry?Get as much information as you can regarding all the play centres local to you. Then visit as many as you can in 2 weeks, check prices / menus / facilities, take photos if you can and just gain all the experience possible from the site operator…..there is no point tripping over the stones that they have tripped over, learn from their experience and go forward very positively…..and lastly it is not always best to buy a centre cheaply at the start of the summer months as it can be very demoralising for an owner watching all the kids in the park playing for free, (I have seen this in the past!!) Do you have anything else you want to get off your chest?I think its time that everybody got together and lobbied the government pointing out the great benefits of the exercise available within play centres and for the government to recognise this and make entrance prices exempt from VAT, here…here..!! 23

24 ROYAL SOCIETY for the PREVENTION of ACCIDENTS Indoor play areas should be as safe as necessary – not as safe as possible. That is certainly the RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) philosophy; having said that it is essential that they are safe and well run. News of accidents, or fear for child safety, can sound the death knell of a centre. That is why an independent annual inspection of the area, as recommended by BS EN 1176:2008, is essential. When inspecting a centre RoSPA look at all aspects of the site including the staffing and management procedures as well as the issues associated with the play frame etc. This way the operator gets a full review of their centre and how it is run. Most importantly, recommendations are made which can help to improve the image and efficiency of the centre and the inspector can provide onsite training for staff. A further useful “bonus” is that we will provide a certificate showing that the area has been RoSPA inspected. This can do much to reassure the public about the centre. Most accidents in indoor play areas reported to RoSPA, could easily have been avoided if simple measures were taken. Often they are due to a lack of knowledge by management and staff and they almost always would have cost little to prevent. RoSPA brings its world wide experience to assisting operators to run and maintain their indoor centres efficiently and safely. An additional benefit to having a RoSPA report is that the insurance industry has stated that it is the best protection against successful litigation so, in these litigious days, the report also provides peace of mind. Do you know the best way to hold evacuation drills whilst customers are on site without upsetting them, the best way to evacuate the top floor of the play frame quickly and how you can turn all of this into a marketing exercise? Speak to your RoSPA inspector during the inspection and they will happily give you some tips. Astra slides can be great fun but can also be one of the major causes of accidents. Over enthusiastic polishing of the sliding surface is common. There is a natural desire to make these as exciting as possible but if the surface is polished it can lead to excessive speed and children flying off the surface and sustaining injuries. Indeed on one such slide, three instances of broken limbs were recorded to just 1½ hours in one centre. Environmental Health served an immediate enforcement order on the centre. A recent new development in indoor areas is the use of equipment that is more commonly associated with outdoor areas. That is why all RoSPA inspectors who inspect indoor areas are qualified on the professional body – the Register of Play Inspectors International – for undertaking both indoor and outdoor play area inspections. Finally remember that the RoSPA inspector is there to help you. Yes they will report faults, but they will also suggest the remedies and equally important they will only suggest action where it will make a measurable difference to the safety of Article supplied by John Yearley

23 FARM ATTRACTIONS FARM ATTRACTIONS

26 The NFAN is a co-operative group set up to provide professional assistance and support to farm and rural diversification enterprises. Whether you have an existing rural business or are inspired to diversify into rural leisure and tourism, the NFAN will help you in every way possible towards setting up and maintaining your business, signposting you in the right direction for professional advice and guidance. The NFAN works hard to raise the profile of all farm and rural attractions, promoting rural tourism around the country. Through the NFAN, members can receive advice on a range of subjects including planning legislation, business rates, accountancy and taxation, health and safety, insurance, grant aid, animal welfare, zoo licensing and more, with free ‘help line advice sessions’ covering many of these subjects being available. Joining the NFAN provides each member with a wide range of professional advice and services, along with a number of additional benefits. Among these are general assistance and encouragement in the establishment of new farm and rural attractions, links into some of the best advisors in the country and advice and guidance on grant aid funding and where this can be sources from. NFAN also actively campaigns and lobbies the government and other agencies for changes to legislation and guidelines on behalf of members, while marketing opportunities are also made available through entry onto the NFAN web site. All members are included on the web site, with full contact details, email and web site links, and have access to a members’ only section which contains up to date industry news along with information sheets on a variety of subjects such as marketing and licensing. Marketing opportunities are also available through the NFAN’s attendance at national and regional shows, while the network’s regular newsletter,Network News, provides details of the organisation’s activities along with those of members. It also keeps members informed of current news affecting the industry, industry developments and forthcoming events, while allowing members to exchange ideas for their mutual benefit. Picture, left, shows the NFAN stand at the East of England Show THE NATIONAL FARM ATTRACTIONS NETWORK

27 Training workshops, seminars and networking opportunities also play an important part in the NFAN’s role and its annual conference and exhibition is a prime example of this activity. Held annually in February, the conference seminar sessions and workshops cover a wide variety of subjects relating to the operation of farm and rural attractions, providing a valuable educational opportunity for members, while the accompanying exhibition offers trade members the chance to promote their products and services to operators. The 2010 event is due to take place on February 3 at Drayton Manor Theme Park near Tamworth, Staffordshire. NFAN encourages members to participate in the schemes run by Access To Farms (ATF). ATF aims to improve the opportunities and quality of education access to farms by schools. It has established a scheme to help owners develop their skills and ensure that schools are guaranteed a safe environment and valuable farm experience. The Countryside Education Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS) has two elements - training for farmers or those working with children during educational visits and also a farm assessment. Members also benefit from special promotional activities arranged by NFAN, the most recent of these being a national promotional campaign with the Shropshire based Müller Dairy UK, with a view to helping increase visitors to members’ farms. NFAN also holds a Farm Attraction of the Year Award annually, featuring three different categories based on visitor numbers, and details of this and all other NFAN activities can be obtained from contacting Sarah (pictured right) at the NFAN office, tel. no. 01536 513397, email info@farmattractions.net or visit the NFAN web sitewww.farmattractions.net INPA welcomes the NFAN and looks forward to their regular contribution for our readers (NFAN) - ITS ROLE IN THE INDUSTRY

28 MIKE BOYLE TALKS TO TONY CULLIMORE FROM CATTLE COUNTRY For our first farm profile Mike Boyle talks to Tony Cullimore from Cattle Country, which is in Berkeley (approx 20 miles north of Bristol) to give us his views on running a farm attraction, and I think it makes very interesting reading given the directions he has taken his business. It is clear that same issues affect us all, whichever sector we operate in. How & why did you get involved in leisure? Cattle Country began as a farm diversification project after my father decided that it was time for him to hang up his wellies in the early 1970’s. There were three reasons for me doing this – firstly I had always had a dream of bringing the public onto the farm and creating a worthwhile experience for the visitors who came. I wanted to give them a day out in the country, show them how farming and the countryside works together and preach the message of the importance of wildlife conservation. I also wanted to do this because I knew I would enjoy it, and hoped that eventually it would make some money. The business began as The Cattle and Countryside Centre with a farm trail along which people could view many different breeds of cattle from around the world, with a little bit of outdoor play equipment big enough for adults to join in with their children. What developments have had the biggest impact on your business? As everything was outdoor, hardly anyone visited on a wet day. It also soon became obvious that people who did visit came to use the play equipment more than to see the animals, and they wanted to stay all day rather than make the two hour visit that we had in mind. We therefore decided to convert a silage barn into a modest indoor soft play area, and this is when the business suddenly took off. We now had facilities for inclement weather and could also hire the place out for children’s birthday parties all year round. We never want to turn the farm into a theme park, but as it is important to give children plenty to do we are always looking to expand the play areas. With the third wet summer in succession we must look at more indoor facilities. In the past we have had visitors asking for a refund because it is raining! Although we try to explain that we are not God, and therefore cannot do much about this, people are sometimes still not happy.

MIKE BOYLE TALKS TO TONY CULLIMORE FROM CATTLE COUNTRY 29 One thing we have done, which we have been very pleased with, is to convert a farm building into a large restaurant. This not only generates a good secondary income from visitors to the park, but also provides a venue that can be used for parties, conferences and even weddings during the evenings, or when the park is closed to the public. Weddings have been particularly successful and because of this we have increased the size of our function area. We now have a civil licence for marriage ceremonies and have included a purpose built wedding garden. What are the most significant changes you have seen? The biggest change we seen over the seventeen years that we have been in business is the way in which some visitors are keen to try to sue us for any accident that may have taken place, no matter how trivial it is. Ever since “no win no fee” became legal the public has been deluged with adverts from companies who encourage individuals to sue for absolutely anything - at no cost to themselves. This has been very frustrating for us and wastes a lot of our time. I could spend much time telling you of ridiculous cases that we and other parks have had to deal with, but I simply don’t have enough space. At least it has made us much more safety conscious, which must be a good thing. We are now constantly thinking of all the possible risks associated with everything we provide for our visitors, and this of course is very important., It’s just a shame that some parents do not think in the same way and take more responsibility for their own children, rather than always be ready to blame someone else.

Who should visit the show? Bouncy Castle Hire Companies - Event Organisers - Family Entertainment Centres - Hotel & Country Clubs - Mall & Retail Managers - Municipal & Local Authorities - Playgrounds & Leisure Centres - Showmen - Theme Parks & Attractions - Zoos - Farm Attractions - Indoor Playcentres Stoneleigh Park Exhibition Centre Coventry CV8 2LZ Tuesday 16th March Wednesday 17th March 10.00 am - 5.00 pm For all the latest information visit WWW.INPAS.CO.UK INPAS 2010 First Floor, 41 Roseheath, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2NG T: 01442 245700 M: 07850 843005 E: show@inflatednews.co.uk W: www.inpas.co.uk INPAS 2010 the largest display of inflatables, leisure, play& attractions equipment in the UK in 2010 INPAS 2010 is your opportunity to view an array of inflatables, play equipment and other related products direct from leading manufacturers and suppliers at the largest show of its type in the UK in 2010. See all the latest designs and innovations on display at our massive 8000 square metres of exhibition space DON'T MISS IT! PUT THE DATES IN YOUR DIARY NOW! EXHIBITORS If your product is play related for either indoor or outdoor use then you should consider exhibiting at this major play industry event. Visitors are drawn from all sectors of the play industry. Following the success of INPAS 2009 the majority of exhibitors have already booked space for INPAS 2010. If you would like further information visit the show web site ww.inpas.co.uk or call 01442 245700 INPA presents...

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Remind yourself what it feels like to discover. Attractions Expo at LIW is the UK exhibition for the play & attractions industry, providing a great opportunity to explore investments for 2010. This year’s show will have a large selection ofnew features including: 3A live outdoor demonstrations area including an ice rink, laser tag, bungee rides and inflatable games 3A sensory zone bringing to life the latest innovations for multi sensory interactive environments 3A ‘Scare Corrridor’ demonstrating the benefits of scare attractions in the run- up to Halloween 3The Play Providers Conference, VisionXS Road show and Farm Diversity Conference All this plus a wide selection of the latest designs and play concepts from leading indoor play suppliers and networking opportunities at the ASPIRE Awards. Face to face with the leisure industry Register now at www.liw.co.uk Or call the Hotline on 0844 557 2748 for free tickets.

36 Independent Safeguarding Authority-Update What is ISA? The ISA has been established to help prevent unsuitable people working, or coming into contact with children, young people, vulnerable adults and /or their families. Following the SAFEchild article in the June edition there is now more information about the 5-year roll out, specifically the government has changed the rollout dates to: From 2011 All those who have never been CRB checked will need an ISA number 2012 Those who’s CRBs are 3 years old will need an ISA number 2013 Everyone else will need ISA numbers, including those in “controlled” activities 2015 Organisations will need to ensure that all employees “regulated” or “controlled” are ISA- registered. HOWEVER IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CRBS WILL STILL BE NEEDED EVERY TIME A PERSON CHANGES JOBS What do I need to do now? First check your company’s safeguarding arrangements are adequate. If you need assistance visit the SAFEchild web site atwww.safechild.co.ukwhere Child Protection Policies, Procedures, Training and general guidance are available. About the Author: Ten years ago, Rosie Carter, the Project Director of SAFEchild, along with professional colleagues, including the police, social care services, and health; identified an urgent need to provide the wider public with accurate, clear safeguarding information. They established SAFEchild, the independent child protection charity as a “one stop shop” to support all organisations with their child protection arrangements including policies, on line training, risk assessment, CRBs and the SAFEchild Award. Visitwww.safechild.co.uk for more information.

Zoos & Aquariums 37 ZOO ATTRACTIONS

British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums 38 Zoo visits inspire young people BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) is the professional association representing the zoo and aquarium community in Britain and Ireland; it is a conservation, education and scientific wildlife charity. Currently 100 zoos and aquariums are members (91 full members and 9 provisional). BIAZA is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria (WAZA). TheVision of the organisation: To be a powerful force in the care and conservation of the natural world Is reflected in itsMission: BIAZA is a professional organisation which represents its members and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums. It leads and supports its members: · To inspire people to help conserve the natural world · To participate in effective co-operative conservation programmes · To deliver the highest quality environmental education, training and research · To achieve the highest standards of animal care and welfare in zoos, aquariums and in the wild In 2007 24.9 million people visited BIAZA member collections (representing one in three of the population) and more than 1.1 million (mainly children) came to BIAZA collections each year on an organized educational visit. Education is at the heart of the work of BIAZA Members and in the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy (WAZA, 2005), zoo education programmes are recognized as one of the primary tools of conservation and are important in inspiring the public about the irreplaceable value of nature. BIAZA has education standards which help to guide Members as one of BIAZA’s beliefs is that through integrated science, education and conservation programmes, zoos and aquariums can be a powerful force for wildlife conservation. Most people come to zoos and aquariums to enjoy themselves and BIAZA members go to great lengths to ensure that their wishes are fulfilled and they have a great day out!

British & Irish Association of Zoos & Aquariums Many people worldwide live in towns and cities and so have little or no regular contact with nature. People visit zoos and aquariums because they have a natural interest in living wild animals and a strong curiosity about the natural world. Even the best natural history programmes do not have the same direct impact as the real smelly inquisitive animal interacting with its environment. This can inspire young people so that they want to change the world and make it a better place for animals, plants and indeed people. A day out at the zoo can do this – it is a way of helping to combat climate change. This ability to make learning interactive, fun and enjoyable that is one of the great strengths of zoos and aquariums. There are many innovative examples. In teaching children about the decline of amphibians Jersey Zoo wrote and preformed a pantomime called the ‘Frog Prince’. Blackpool Zoo visited school assemblies in the area giving talks on amphibians, thus reaching a large audience. Bristol Zoo ran interactive sessions with children frog ‘games’. BIAZA members support field conservation. In 2007, in total, members supported 609 projects totalling £7.75 sterling. Eighty-four of these field projects were on species native to the region, Members also supplied husbandry and management skills, staff and equipment for habitat and species conservation and essential materials for local education and awareness programmes in developing countries BIAZA Members like to lead the way and tackle fresh challenges. During the summer months many members will have keepers giving talks at enclosures, presenters giving animal displays, and there will be lots of interactive and fun things for young people to do and participate in. It is making learning fun, along with attracting visitors from all aspects of society, that is the unique strength of zoos and aquariums. Miranda F Stevenson Executive Director, BIAZA www.biaza.org.uk 39

40 PARADISE WILDLIFE PARK - BROXBOURNE HERTFORDSHIRE Our first zoo profile is from Peter Sampson, who owns Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne, Herts, which he took over in the early 90’s, and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a private zoo in Smarden, Kent which was opened in 2001. HOW DID YOU START IN INDUSTRY? Not by intention, our main business back in the 80’s was a large bus and coach business with over 70 vehicles. We also had 3 retail outlets which consisted of a travel agents and booking centre plus we built the first drive through MOT station in Hoddesdon, Herts. The site we purchased in Broxbourne was a run down and neglected Zoo. Sadly the local authority would not give us permission to build houses as we had intended. All that was left for us was to redevelop and re-invent as Paradise Wildlife Park. WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THE BUSINESS? The best times are when animals are born, when you open new buildings and attractions, when we receive awards for our conservation and fund raising activities. Also when we receive feed- back from happy and contented visitors. WHAT ARE THE WORST? Sadly when an animal dies, the worry of things like “Foot & Mouth” disease and a very cold and long winter. GIVE US AN AMUSING INCIDENT. When we intended to install an extremely large fibreglass dinosaur into our woodland area. A helicopter was hired and the cable attached. Why the pilot took it to several hundred feet up we do not know. A very large group of staff and visitors were looking upwards, the wind was swaying the helicopter and dinosaur, the pilot seemed to panic and then released the cable sending a very large dinosaur rushing towards the earth. It was pretty scary! People were running in all directions. Fortunately the dinosaur landed in a field next door, not the car park. When it hit the ground it exploded in to hundreds of pieces and partly buried itself in to the ground. It was an amusing, but a very expensive laugh. This was just one of many amusing stories which happened in and around the Wildlife Park.

PARADISE WILDLIFE PARK - BROXBOURNE HERTFORDSHIRE CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR WORST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES? That could mean when a gentleman visiting the park had a heart attack, or a young child broke their arm OR it could have been when a family loaded the car with mum, dad and the kids but left the pushchair with baby in the car park! They did eventually come back! WHAT AIMS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE BUSINESS? Becoming much more profession- al, giving excellent customer service, making sure we offer good value for money. En- deavour to always offer something different. WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?Moved to a warmer country and rested more. As it appears that our winters are getting longer and our summers shorter I would have introduced much sooner more undercover activities and entertainment. Also to change our point of access for visitors, from a drive up to the pay cabin to park cars and coaches to a walk through pay entrance system, plus many more things differ- ently! WHAT HAS BEEN MOST SUCCESSFUL? Our indoor play areas and Starbucks coffee bar plus for the summer our large paddling pool. Also our programme of meeting, greeting and feeding our various animals offered as an experience to members of the public. WHAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL? When we tried to diverse our operations and open a radio station. A great way to see your money vanish. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO NEW OPERATORS? Take good advice from tried and tested operators. Join an association like BIAZA or BALPPA. Take out good insurance cover. Have excellent training programmes for your staff. Meet and work with your local authority. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO GET OFF CHEST? It would be great if we could convince the powers that be to reduce our VAT to 5% and have a level playing field when it comes to grants and handouts, be fair to all. If you would like to see your wildlife park featured in INPA give Mike Boyle a call. 41

42 INFLATABLE PLAY Inflatable Play

!STOLEN! MEDMENHAM, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 2 Laptop Computers GIBBONS FANS - Serial numbers - 167924 167931 169299 169301 169309 169310 169314 169319 169331 169338 169339 169340 169347 169348 169349 169350 169951 170007 If offered any Gibbons Fans please check serial numbers. Should you purchase in good faith and then discover that it is one of the stolen items then you will have to return it to the owner. Reward of£500.00 offered for information leading to arrest. If you have any information contact Ryan on 01491 573100/07841 872907, your local police station or INPA in confidence.

Advertorial MUTA, the performance textiles industry association, is conducting an ongoing programme of engagement with local authorities this summer, to promote inflatable play safety practices under the PIPA scheme. The Association, which runs the scheme, wrote to all local authorities at district, borough and unitary level in the UK in order to raise awareness of the standards. Under the PIPA scheme, which is endorsed by the Health and Safety Executive, inflatable play equipment is given a tag and is tested for safety by a registered inspector every year. By entering the tag number on the web site, members of the public can check whether a particular piece of equipment has been properly tested. Council event teams and environmental health departments are being sent information about PIPA’s role in meeting the legal requirement to have inflatable play equipment tested annually. Local authorities have considerable influence in ensuring that bouncy castles used in their areas meet health and safety standards, and while many already have a policy of using equipment tested to BS EN 14960, there are many councils that are not aware of the standard or the PIPA scheme. Andy Grove, chairman of the National Outdoor Events Association’s Local Authority Event Organisers Group, said he expected all local authorities to welcome the pack from MUTA. He hoped to reach the point where“every local authority only accepts PIPA (or ADIPS) and it is written into tenders and contracts or just becomes a condition of booking so that those without it have no chance of working at events on council land.” “If they want to remain in the industry they must raise their standards and comply with PIPA,” he added. Carl Hagemann, event safety spokesman for the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management, praised the transparency and user-friendliness of the PIPA scheme:“The appropriate ‘tagging’ of an inflatable allows any person to easily view details of that devices last inspection. It also gives that specific device a unique permanent physical reference point for identification.” Targeting local authorities is by no means a magic bullet to boost recognition of standards. Andy Grove would like to see inflatable hirers targeted and encouraged to become PIPA-accredited because“at the moment, many organisers find it difficult to find one that is and therefore having the inflatable at their event becomes difficult and sometimes impossible.” Article provided by Dan Wilson Craw, PIPA Administration PIPA WORKING WITH COUNCILS 44

46 Airquee, the Bristol based inflatable manufacturer was formed in 2003 and is owned by Phil Maddock and Mark John who both live in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. As the name might suggest, Airquee was originally created to design, market and sell air buildings for the leisure and construction industries. However in 2005 the company quickly realized that their strength was in play inflatable’s following the inheritance of many of the talented staff from Boing Ltd. Today the company employs 14 staff in the UK and 41 in their Romanian factory with plans to increase this to 95 in the next 3 years. With annual growth of 20-40% Mark and Phil think this is very achievable. In the past 3 years Airquee has made some major steps forward. Highlights have included designing the worlds first inflatable pub, the worlds tallest inflatable climbing wall (with global safety certification granted in 2009) and the development of a global distribution network. Continual reinvestment in technology helps the company ensure it is aware of the latest manufacturing and design processes. In 2009 / 2010 The Airquee Team will be focusing their efforts on developing a product range for the UK rental companies, a sector that until now they have not dedicated any focus to. Mark believes that Airquee is ideally placed to supply a quality product range with competitive prices to expand on the 5% that the UK market currently contributes to the company’s turnover. In addition to the new inflatable’s, Airquee has now completed the CAD design of its soft play range and finalised the installation of a new production line to begin the manufacture of foam filled products such as sumo suits, mats and other new ideas. All in all, Mark and Phil are very optimistic for the future of the company as it continues it’s development. If you would like any further information about Airquee Ltd or it’s products, please get in touch: 0845 0094 300 orinfo@airquee.co.uk. or visit them at LIW 2009 or INPAS 2010 SPOTLIGHT ON A MANUFACTURER

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48 The Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS) has announced the appointment of Luke Ditchburn to the newly created position of General Manager. He joins the organisation at a time when reportable incidents on amusement rides are at the lowest level for many years, as confirmed by HSE at the end of 2008, and brings to the role considerable experience of the leisure industry and the procedures and services within it. Prior to joining ADIPS, Ditchburn was Facilities and Operations Manager for Northumberland County Council, and has worked for a number of local authorities and leisure organisations throughout the country. In all, he has had nine years in the leisure industry, managing facilities and operating single and multi-sites both indoor and outdoor, including swimming pools, sports centres, leisure clubs, bars and catering outlets, overseeing large numbers of staff. He has worked in evolving markets and his experience includes working with quality assurance schemes. Commenting on the appointment, ADIPS Chairman Adrian Mahon noted that Ditchburn has experience of managing quality standards and procedural systems and services, as well as in web development, all of which is particularly relevant to the General Manager’s role, and added: “The value of ADIPS to the industry has been demonstrated by the significant reduction in Reportable Injuries since the scheme’s inception. I’m delighted to welcome Luke to ADIPS at a time when we are about to embark upon a phase of development which will deliver further improvements in the accessibility and administration of the scheme for its users. Luke’s experience and skills will be a great asset during these developments.” Commenting himself on his new position, Ditchburn said: “I am relishing my new role and the challenges it will bring and look forward to helping ADIPS move forward as we continue to enhance and develop the scheme and its administration to the benefit of the amusement ride industry. I’ll be working closely with ADIPS members and clients to ensure they are provided with the best possible service and that we continue to run a scheme that is clearly the envy of the industry in many other countries around the world.” Article provided by ADIPS Press Officer, Andrew Mellor ADIPS APPOINTS NEW GENERAL MANAGER

Have-a-go Archery package Archery is a popular option at events - you can offer it for corporate days - or run it on a pay-as-you-go basis at fetes, etc. Rough guide to prices you can charge: Corporate event: £350 per half day Have-a-go basis: £2 for 6 arrows Archery package includes: Three targets and stands plus target faces Backstop netting Mix of bows - adult/junior left/right 48 arrows Accessories Package price: from £1200plus VAT and delivery Training day We will visit your premises and teach you how to set up the equipment, how to lay out the shooting area, safety requirements and basic shooting technique. Training day price: £250 for up to 5 staff plus VAT and travelling costs • • • • • Address: Units 4 & 5 Sparrow Hall Farm Edlesborough Beds LU6 2ES Tel: 01442 409632 Mob: 07889 645797 Web: www.silverarrowarchery.co.uk Email: sue@silverarrowarchery.co.uk

LIW 2009 - Attractions Expo - Preview 50 The UK’s largest event in attractions and family entertainment – Attractions Expo, will take place at Leisure Industry Week (LIW) on 22-24 September at Birmingham’s NEC. A host of exciting new features have been introduced this year, including an outdoor demonstration area, Sensory Zone and Scare Zone. Expect to see showcases from leading inflatable, play and attractions organisations at the show. This year’s exhibitors include: Play Furniture, World of Rides, Dropzone UK, Simworx, Flip-Pics, House of Play, Airquee, TL Dallas, The Soft Brick Company, Taylor-Made Play and Tulley’s Grow through Play. LIW is expected to attract 13,000 visitors and 300 exhibitors from across the leisure industry and there will be a number of key organisations holding seminars including The Play Providers Conference by The Play Providers Association. BALPPA will provide networking opportunities for members and prospective members in the BALPPA Lounge. “We are committed to giving play centre operators a platform where they can discover the latest new products, access sector-specific education and enjoy networking with their peers,” says Chris Brown, Show Manager at LIW. New for 2009 Attractions Expo will feature a brand new outdoor demonstration area in addition to the large number of indoor exhibitors. This will allow exhibitors to showcase products that would usually be too big to house within the show. Some of the features visitors can experience are an ice rink, drop zone, laser-tag, inflatables, water games and bungee rides. Play equipment professionals will also be on hand to offer valuable advice on how to implement the equipment into play facilities. Sponsored by Sensory UK, the Sensory Zone, which is new to LIW, will be encouraging play centres, play rooms, hospitals and schools to include inclusive play areas for children with sensory impairments to play alongside main stream children in their facilities. Sensory UK will provide guidance on the benefits of inclusive play, how to access the government funding that is available and they will also demonstrate the multi-sensory equipment that is available such as bubble tubes and fibre optics. EXHIBITORS There will be a wide range of exhibitors from across the play and attractions sector, demonstrating their most innovative new products and offering helpful advice on how operators can use the products in their facilities. Play Furniture is the leading supplier of play and activity furniture, play panels and toys for businesses in the UK. They successfully distribute many fun furniture items to commercial premises which include soft play centres, park and farm attractions, restaurants, pubs, sports centres, cafes and coffee shops. At Attractions Expo they will be showcasing a dozen new products for the first time specific for family leisure applications.

51 LIW 2009 - Attractions Expo - Preview Play Furniture’s aim is to help businesses adopt a complete family focus creating time for children and parents to have fun. They will be spreading this message at LIW and demonstrating how Play Furniture allows businesses to benefit from increased sales, repeat business and improved reputation. The Soft Brick Company will also exhibit at Attractions Expo, demonstrating their Soft Play products and Adventure Play areas. Their dedicated team will be on hand to offer advice on their free Harmony Operating System, which has been developed to support businesses with helpful advice that doesn’t compromise play. Further information on funding will be provided at the free-to-attend seminars from the Play Providers Association (PPA) as part of the Play Providers Conference, which will also be held at LIW. In another free session, Sue Anstiss, Managing Director of Promote Public Relations, will provide an overview of Social Media, demonstrating how play operators can make use of various online tools including Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and blogging. The PPA will also hold their annual Aspire Awards at LIW, recognising excellence in the play industry. More information will be available on the PPA’s website:www.playproviders.org.uk. “The Play Providers Conference is a must attend event for play operators. It provides opportunities to come together as an industry and learn about new products and initiatives. Our conference program this year is relevant and interactive and is sure to provide indoor play centre operators and new start ups with new ideas,” says Kate Costin, Association Manager of the PPA. “We feel it’s very important to be at LIW, to meet new and existing customers and to see all the latest products and features within the industry. Our customers really enjoy seeing the quality of our product first hand, and love all the face to face help and advice they can get from our team of Harmony Advisors,” says Sam Collins, Senior Designer at the Soft Brick Company. The Soft Brick Company has nearly 20 years experience supplying safe and high-quality adventure play products, which encourage interaction, child safety and play value. Whether you are looking to install new equipment, get advice on inclusive play or to network, Attractions Expo at LIW will not disappoint. Visitwww.liw.co.uk for your free entry badge. . Article provided by Kate Godber Promote PR Ltd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IWL!!!!!!!! On the 22nd July Inflatable World Leisure, the Bingham based inflatable manufacturer, celebrated 10 years in the industry. Managing Director, Paul Walkden told INPA“I am extremely proud to have reached this milestone in our history and look forward to the next ten years supplying new and existing customers. I would also like to thank my staff and customers for their continued support.” Unfortunately plans to celebrate this milestone had to be put on hold as the factory has an extremely busy order book. Inflatable World Leisure has been a strong supporter of INPA since 2005 and all of the team at INPA wish Paul and his team every success for the future. Inflatable World Leisure have already booked their space at INPAS 2010 and promise to bring exciting new units for visitors to see. 52 INFLATABLE WORLD LEISURE’S 10th BIRTHDAY THE ROLLER RACER * FUN * EXCITING * RELIABLE * LOW PRICE * SAFE * LOW UPKEEP * VERSATILE * EASY TO USE PERFECT FOR LEISURE ATTRACTIONS, HIRE COMPANIES, SCHOOLS & HOLIDAY CLUBS TO VIEW THIS GREAT PRODUCT AND FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO PURCHASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE www.rollerracer.co.uk For further details and prices call 01494 679699 or email info@rollerracer.co.uk Activity World PO Box 975 Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 1UQ

54 INFLATABLE PLAY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION IPMA represents the leading manufacturers of inflatable play equipment. (www.inflatableplaymanufacturers.co.uk). Being part of IPMA gives members the chance to input into Industry Standards and at the last IPMA meeting, members discussed the revision of EN14960: 2006 and made their recommendations as to the items that should be revised. This is vital to ensure the standards are workable for UK companies. In September IPMA will be representing its members at the Leisure Industry Week show at the NEC in Birmingham which runs between the 22nd and 24th September. (www.liw.co.uk). The show includes an “Attractions Expo” and embodies the freshest thinking. It provides the new ideas your business needs to create new revenue streams. It provides the best education via insightful speaker sessions and keynotes talks. It delivers the leisure industry's best minds to help you overcome the challenges you face. Those looking to purchase an inflatable can visit stand A162 where you can find information, literature and representatives from IPMA member companies. Kate Costin Association Manager Inflatable Play Manufacturers Association (IPMA) 02476 414999 Ext 205 kate@sportsandplay.com Visit the new IPMA Web site atwww.inflatableplaymanufacturers.co.uk

THE INFLATABLE PLAY ENTERPRISE 56 For those receiving INPA for the first time, The Inflatable Play Enterprise (TIPE), is a subscription service run by the team at INPA and full details of benefits can be found at www.tipe.co.uk or see our advertisement opposite. Current subscription is £40.00 per year including VAT. TIPE seeks to advise those involved in the hire or use of inflatable play equipment with safe practices and recommended‘best practice’ as issued by the Health and Safety Executive. TIPE produces many information sheets and also provides timely accurate information as it happens with our electronic mail service. In addition TIPE subscribers have access to a dedicated telephone service for urgent enquiries. In the last six months TIPE has reached a further milestone in that we now have over 100 companies subscribing to the service and enquiries are on the increase. Unlike our competitors TIPE does not rely on newsletters,forums or other media to get information to subscribers but uses individual emails to subscribers to bring information as it happens. All relevant information is then transformed into an Information Sheet which is then made available through the TIPE subscribers web site for future reference. To date TIPE has produced 35 Information Sheets on a variety of topics. Our most significant Information Sheet to be produced was in June 2008 when all TIPE subscribers received information on the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and how the Vetting & Barring Scheme would affect them. This has given TIPE subscribers an opportunity to prepare for the new scheme ahead of their competitors. TIPE also participates in the PIPA Advisory Forum in order to be able to put concerns of TIPE subscribers and also feed in any latest developments. TIPE also uses a number of outside resources including Health & Safety Executive, SAFEchild, RPII, FSB to get specific answers on questions raised by subscribers. TIPE is always looking at ways of increasing the profile of its subscribers as well as looking at ways of making a subscribers business a little less stressful. Insurance remains a constant issue with ever increasing warranties being added to policies. TIPE is in discussion with insurers to look at ways of adjusting warranties and premiums for those who operate a less of a risk business. We have felt for a long time that good operators should not be penalised because of the less efficient or safety conscious operator. This is an on going process but we are hopeful of obtaining better rates for those TIPE subscribers that invest in safety and ‘best practice’. PROMOTING SAFE INFLATABLE PLAY TIPE

inflatednews.co.uk 37 When you want... expert advice on a topic of concern someone to talk to about a niggling issue to know what is about to happen in your industry Ÿguidance on the next step to take in growing your business ... call someone who knows With over 20 years experience and contacts in the industry you can be sure of a reliable answer from TIPE For just £40 (inclusive VAT) a year you will receive: Additional costs may be incurred in resolving disputes. Free advertising is dependent on availability of space Other conditions may apply TIPE is grateful for the support of the following companies: FML Insurance Services - Inflatable World Leisure - Air Inflatables - Justinflatables - Jumpjump - Bounceabouts Leisure - Gibbons Fans - GM Imber - Airquee - RPII TIPE, First Floor, 41 Roseheath, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2NG T: 01442 245700 M: 07850 843005 E: info@tipe.co.uk W: www.tipe.co.uk arbitration service 24 hour emergency advice line telephone and email support information sheets on the latest issue email alerts Ÿbusiness forms inclusion in on-line directories free advertising for secondhand equipment on line and in Inflated News Play & Attractions magazine free use of logo Ÿaccess to special offers as available TIPE PROMOTING SAFE INFLATABLE PLAYTIPE PROMOTING SAFE INFLATABLE PLAY

58 UK MANUFACTURER CHALLENGED TO BUILD EUROPE'S LARGEST INFLATABLE SLIDE Alan Smith of Bounce-A-Lot, Coventry based manufacturer, talks to INPA about their recent challenge to build Europe’s largest slide for ToddsLeap.com in County Tyrone. They like them big in County Tyrone! We get requests for some very unusual inflatables here at Bounce-A-Lot, but a recent enquiry from ToddsLeap.com outdoor activity centre in County Tyrone has to be top of the list. When ToddsLeap.com’s owner, Benny O’Hanlon, told us he wanted an inflatable slide to fit a concrete base on his site which would be 225 ft long, 10 ft wide & 50 ft to platform, we thought perhaps he was full of hot air. How wrong we were! A week later, Benny arrived in person at the Bounce-A-Lot factory. We sat with him and discussed various ideas on how we could manufacture the unit, giving full regard to health & safety issues and his very specific design requirements. After lengthy discussions, we arrived at a design that he was happy with and which complied with all PIPA standards. Benny left saying that he would start construction of the concrete base on the side of a large hill at the ToddsLeap.com site (see photo right). We thought we would probably not hear any more about the slide, as it was a large and costly project. But despite my scepticism, Benny was true to his word and ten days later, he telephoned asking for George, our designer, to go over to Northern Ireland to measure up the site, ready for us to start manufacture. A couple of days later George was sent off to ToddsLeap.com and returned with all the measurements and design information. Manufacture commenced straightaway, but it turned out to be a lot more difficult than expected. Because of its massive size, the slide had to be manufactured in nine separate sections, with each section being rolled up as we went along. This meant we were unable to inflate the completed unit to check it over before taking it for installation at the County Tyrone site. In total, over one kilometre (1050 metres) of PVC and 300 metres of nylon were used in the fabrication! The finished kit just managed to fit into our Mercedes Sprinter van.

UK MANUFACTURER CHALLENGED TO BUILD EUROPE'S LARGEST INFLATABLE SLIDE The view from the end of the slide 59 When we arrived at ToddsLeap.com, Benny took us to inspect the site for the slide, which I have to say was very impressive. Our next task was to decide the best way to install the unit. We decided that our first priority would be to roll the ground sheet down the slope and secure it into position. After this we would roll the slide down. This proved to be easier said then done, but after a lot of pushing and pulling, it was finally in position, ready to inflate. We positioned two blowers at the top of the slide and one at the bottom. As this would be its first time inflated as a complete unit, we were very nervous of the outcome. But all nerves were soon quashed as the slide inflated and fitted perfectly. It had been a lot of hard work but the look of delight on Benny’s face made it all worth while. Benny believes the ToddsLeap.com slide is the largest in Europe, and true to form, his next project is to have the largest Bouncy Castle too. If any reader knows where the biggest bouncy castle currently is, please contact Peter at INPA. Our picture above shows the completed installation ready to receive its first customers. The finished unit Editors comment: What a magnificent achievement. If any manufacturer has a similar story please send into the INPA office.

60 Over the last few years play has been hit by no end of excuses to stop youngsters performing certain play related activities. These have been increasingly introduced by school’s, Local Authorities event organisers and the like for fear of being sued should something go wrong. In most cases introduction of such rules is normally blamed on ‘Health & Safety’. We have all read these claims in the National press or seen or heard them on TV or Radio. Remember the bans on skipping, conkers, snowballing, to name but a few. In a recent survey carried out for Britvic, makers of Fruit Shoot, entitled “Big Mothered Britain” over 4000 parents were interviewed and 80% felt too much officialdom was affecting children’s fun. Research also suggests that almost half of teachers think pupils suffer because of safety rules. One child psychologist said,“Many treasured children’s activities are becoming rare. We’re seeing a gap in the ‘fun’ skills that we learn through physical activities.” Judith Hackett, Chair of HSE, writes“I can assure your readers that the supposed rules which ban skipping, conkers and other such pursuits are myths. There are no health and safety regulations which ban these activities. The Health and Safety Executive is very much focused on the real risks to life and limb in Britain's workplaces. We very much want children to take part in outdoor activities which teach them how to deal with risk - not avoid it. That way they have fun and they learn important life skills before they enter the world of work.” In recent months we saw the reports of village fetes being cancelled because of Health & Safety regulations, Morris Dancing being banned and even a plastic duck race was called off. Fear of litigation, organisation costs and a misunderstanding of the requirements needed to stage an event, can all be reasons for cancelling. However, on many occasions ‘health and safety’ gets the blame. Such is the concern of HSE about the way health and safety is blamed for some of these ridiculous bans they produce a monthly ‘elf and safety’ myth to help distinguish between fact and fiction. These are all available on the HSE web site at www.hse.gov.uk/myth/index.htm If you come across a ridiculous story regarding bans on play activities send them to us as the INPA team may well run additional features in the future. HEALTH & SAFETY - MYTH OR FACT

LETTERS FROM PRS MUSIC THURSDAY 26th NOVEMBER 2009 - Federation House, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2RF BOOKING FORM (one per candidate)Completed forms should be Returned by 1ST NOVEMBER 2009 Candidate Details PAYMENT IPMA/AIMODS/TIPE Members total £175.00 Non Members total £200.00 Payment must be included with each booking form return. In the eventof cancellation refunds will only be given if confirmed in writingfourteen days prior to the date of the course.Cheques should be made payable to RPII. TRAININGFORINSPECTORS OF INFLATABLEPLAY EQUIPMENT This one day training course facilitated by the RPII will allow candidates to prepare for the Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) Inspecting Inflatable Play Equipment examination. The course will cover all aspects of the syllabus The course tutors will be Ken Lawrance, ITRS Ltd and John Simmons, The Play Inspection Company. They have between them over 50 years experience in the play industry Title:................. First Name: ....................................... Surname: ..................................... Job Title: ........................................................................................................................... Company: ......................................................................................................................... Address:............................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................ Postcode:....................................................Tel: ................................................................ Fax No: ...................................................... Email: ........................................................... IPMA Member Yes Membership No: ................................... AIMODS Member Yes Membership No: ................................... TIPE Member Yes Membership No: ................................... For further information contact: Noel Harris, RPII, Federation House, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2RF Tel: 024 76 693787 Fax: 024 7641 4990

Advertorial Revision of BS EN 14960:2006 Ken Lawrance the Technical Director of Inflatables reports; The revision is now almost finished. John Simmons and I have been working with the Euro Committee and we are close to agreeing all changes. Following this, we will visit the British Standards Institute (BSI) to complete the final draft for approval by the umbrella CEN Committee. We hope to finish this part of the revision by September 2009. The revised standard however, is unlikely to be issued until mid 2010. Membership During 2009, a number of new candidates have successfully passed the examination and are now on the Register, They are Jason Harney, Billy Collins, Malcolm Hinksman and Luke Smith. Therefore, we have 39 qualified Inflatable Inspectors for which a full listing can be found on the web sitewww.playinspectors.com Training and Examination Dates In July, we were pleased to have assisted in organising a two-day training course in Rimini, Italy. We hope soon to see some successful candidates from the ten who attended, to add to those from Denmark, Hong Kong, Romania and Spain. The next Training Day is scheduled for26th November 2009. Please contact Noel Harris for details and for examination dates at Emailrpii@playinspectors.com Telephone 02476 693787 Fax 02476 414990 Address RPII Federation House Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire CV8 2RF Register of Play Inspectors International (RPII) NEWS 62