The office is based at the legendary Edinburgh Playhouse, where Showsec has been appointed as the official security provider. Their inaugural event amid the Bank Holiday festivities was a sell-out concert by the equally legendary Bob Dylan, whose new album ‘Together Through Life’ saw the star return to the top of the album charts that very day for the first time since 1970.
Edinburgh Playhouse manager James Haworth said: “I’m delighted that the Edinburgh Playhouse has entered into a new relationship with such a highly regarded company as Showsec. The Playhouse has long enjoyed a reputation for staging prestigious events including recent performances by artists such as Neil Young, Chris Rock and the only UK dates on last year’s Tom Waits Glitter and Doom tour. I’ve no doubt that Showsec’s professionalism will help us further enhance the artist and customer experience here.”
Taking note of client interest
Preparations for the launch in Scotland began in earnest following a run of successful shows north of the border during the summer of 2008, when several events and venues enquired into whether the company could join the Scottish events industry, which they felt would benefit from the increased choice of suppliers in the local event security market.
Bryan Lewis – the new manager of the Showsec Scotland office – has relocated to Edinburgh where he has been recruiting and training staff with support from the specialist departments at the company’s head office in Leicester.
Lewis has managed a number of different events during his decade at Showsec. He has worked at the Manchester Evening News Arena, served as training manager for the Commonwealth Games 2002 and becoming the area manager for Leeds and Sheffield (the latter recently requiring him to look after events at the Sheffield Arena).
Commenting on his new role, Lewis told SMT Online: “In recent years we’ve experienced increased demand from the Scottish market to secure events. Production managers and venues recognised the increased value that Showsec’s services could bring. This is a great opportunity to add a fresh face to the Scottish marketplace, while also rolling out the Showsec working ethos of flexibility and customer service.”
