BACKSTAGE SECRETS OF THE FESTIVAL FIXERS, from Elton’s helipad to Shirley Bassey’s cardie.

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Suzanne Yeates is event and artist manager at the Henley Festival, Henley-on-Thames.

Henley used to be primarily a classical music event, but now pop acts have joined the line-up – this year features artists such as Rita Ora and Chic. The festival takes place right after the Henley Regatta ends, so we only have 36 hours to prepare. Luckily I work well under pressure. I’d never set out to work in the festival industry – I trained as a speech therapist and worked for the NHS for 15 years. But when my family and I moved from London to Henley-on-Thames I applied for a job as the box-office manager at the festival and worked my way up the ladder. Now I’ve been a part of Henley for 24 years. We will always try to accommodate artists’ requests, no matter how difficult. When Elton John performed in 2016 we had a helipad built on the river so that he could fly in. I also look after the artists’ riders [list of requirements] – we provided Elton with strawberries and a TV so that he could watch Wimbledon. A major part of my role is ensuring that the artists get to the site, whether it’s a solo act or a 77-piece orchestra. My highlight so far has been Shirley Bassey’s 2016 performance. She was given a standing ovation every time she walked on. The afternoon she arrived was quite chilly and she hadn’t brought a jumper with her, so I went to a local shop to buy her a cheap woolly knit to wear during her sound check – she actually left the site that night wearing it. Lovely little moments like that make working at the Henley Festival so special. The Henley Festival runs from 11-15 July; henley-festival.co.uk

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