‘Audley End is one of the best sites that we’ve ever worked at’
HERITAGE LIVE’S GILES COOPER SHOULD KNOW – HE’S ONE OF THE UK’S MOST RESPECTED AND PROLIFIC PROMOTERS
WHEN one of the UK’s most respected and prolific promoters was looking for new venues to stage outdoor music shows, he only needed one look at Audley End House and Gardens to know it was perfect.
The stunning grounds that surround the beautiful 17th century manor house in Saffron Walden are an ideal location for big outdoor shows and now the Heritage Live series is a hugely popular annual fixture on the calendar for music lovers
Massive names such as The Jacksons, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Sir Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Soft Cell and The Human League are among the stellar acts to have graced the Audley End stage since 2018.
And this year’s programme is no less impressive, with Suede, Madness, Richard Ashcroft and Elbow the headliners.
That, of course, should be no surprise given that the driving force behind Heritage Live – a summerlong programme of live music in the grounds of English Heritage properties – is Giles Cooper, boss of Giles Cooper Entertainment (GCE) who has nearly 30 years’ experience of the music biz and, in his role as Royal Variety Charity chairman, organises the star-studded Royal Variety Performance.
“We’ve been putting concerts on at Audley End since 2018,” said Giles, “and, I have to say, it’s one of the best sites that we’ve ever worked at, in terms of being a natural amphitheatre and the surrounding countryside which is just stunning.
“The estate itself is beautiful so it’s a perfect setting for bands and we have had some very successful concerts there over the years.”
Giles has been involved with Heritage Live from the start and one of his first jobs was to look at potential venues to host massive outdoor shows for five-figure audiences.
He explained: “In 2016, 2017, English Heritage approached me and said would I be interested?
“They had dealt with concert promoters in the past at Audley End – I think one came to a bit of a sticky end but we won’t go into too much detail on that…
“They wanted a reputable promoter who would come in and give the local area some fantastic concerts and it’s been a great partnership.
“The money that we pay English Heritage for use of the site goes directly toward the maintenance of Audley End house and grounds. It doesn’t go into the coffers of English Heritage and get lost somewhere.
“It’s a very expensive business looking after these big houses and hopefully over the years the amount that we pay has made a big difference to Audley End itself.
“They didn’t specify particular sites but we looked at a few and we worked at Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath for a number of years – that’s going under refurbishment at the moment so we’re not there for the next year or two – and we looked at Audley End.
“Just one look at Audley End and you can see immediately that it’s perfect for concerts – the natural amphitheatre and the surrounding hills – it’s just a beautiful setting.” While the setting may be ideal, the hard work comes when it’s time to transform it into a concert venue. Britain’s notorious unpredictable weather brings its own challenges too, but Giles and his team have everything covered.
“When we turn up, it’s an empty field,” he explained. “We have to put in all the utilities that you take for granted at a purpose-built theatre – water and power being the most important things. We have a whole plumbing system. around the site that’s tested several weeks in advance.
“One of the biggest things you have to account for is that you have to plan for bad weather, so that means laying down paving and trackway so that vehicles can negotiate the site if it’s bad weather.
“But you can’t cover the whole area in aluminium trackway. You need routes in and out and you have to plan for pouring rain – as it has done at some of our concerts.
“You need all sorts of things ready in the car parks in case cars need to be towed out. A lot of planning that goes into it is in case of all eventualities. You have to satisfy the emergency services and the local authorities that you have thought of everything.
“The more that you’ve used a site, the more you understand how it copes with different weathers.
“I remember a couple of years ago when we had that terribly hot summer and temperatures were in the late 30s so we brought in our own fire engines. There are private companies that provide fire services and they were literally waiting in fields in case something sparked off.
“Obviously the local fire services are excellent but you just have to prepare for the situation that one little cigarette butt could set the whole thing off. Then last year for Noel Gallagher it was absolutely torrential rain and quite strong winds, and we had to make sure all the infrastructure – the stage, the marquees and all that kind of stuff – can cope and that they’re well staked and ballasted down.
“The audience site is actually quite good in terms of rain because it all drains downwards into the small river. Of course it gets muddy, but it’s good that it’s on a slope like that.
“So, as with Noel Gallagher last year, we just carried on. In a way it makes it quite an experience for the audience because it becomes almost kind of an ordeal or an adventure
Respect to anyone who has the courage to put on festivals. It’s not an easy thing to do... Giles Cooper