The Strongbow Yard
Overview
The Strongbow Yard is a well-known feature at a number of major festivals in the UK; incorporating a bar with a balcony, a large DJ set-up and, most impressively, a ten-metre tall structure of an archer. The size of the structure means it can be seen from some distance, making it an ideal meeting point for many festival-goers.
For 2019, the archer was once again expected to make an appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival, Kendal Calling, and Victorious Festival in Portsmouth. However, two weeks before The Yard was due to be collected from storage, our client discovered that the usual haulier could no longer cover the project.
With so little time remaining to find another partner for this complex, time-critical project, our client was faced with the reality that ‘Archie’ may not make any appearances at all. Recognising the only option was to approach other logistics providers, the client got in touch via our website. With a strong “anything is possible” ethos among our projects team, we jumped at the chance to assist.
Delivery
Hemisphere’s projects team is used to reacting quickly; however, this project was to test us from the very beginning.
The difficulties initially were not just the timeframe, but finding out exactly what the project required. Understandably, with the same provider handling the transport for a few years, some of the finer details were not available at the outset, which led to a relatively long fact-finding process. However, it was integral to the success of the project that no stone was left unturned at this stage.
In the end we were left with around a week to locate two suitable specialist trailers for long-term hire (which are not commonplace), arrange storage sites, work out time-critical deliveries/collections at each festival site based on the client’s requirements, and put forward our solution. Throughout this process, it was also very important for us to gain our client’s trust and show our capabilities to ensure they could feel as comfortable as possible entrusting this delicate and high-value cargo to a brand new supplier.
Our thoughts
Results
With preparations continuing to prepare the cargo for boarding the vessel, we returned the following day to oversee the trailer being towed on board. In line with our 24/7 project management, although the vessel was not to sail until gone midnight and our cargo was to be one of the last pieces to load, Hemisphere was in attendance, this time alongside the manufacturer who happily joined us despite the unsociable hour!
This gave us the opportunity to review our lashing and securing plans with them directly and also watch the tank board the vessel together. This is something we never tire of, and as a manufacturer, seeing a completed product of this scale board a vessel to start the last leg of its journey must be pretty rewarding as well.
