Published Friday 29th January 2021
Temporary Structures are part of the answer, says leading Academy Trust head
Speaking recently on the Radio 4 Today programme Steve Chalke MBE, who founded the 52 school Oasis Academies Trust, highlighted the need for temporary structures such as marquees on playgrounds as an essential part of the ‘Hands. Face. Space’ strategy in tackling Covid transmissions.
“Whilst we can get children to wash their hands and cover their faces, we also need more space. With the weather improving and temperatures rising through the spring and into the summer, marquees must form part of our strategy in getting schools open again.”
ERA Specialist Alastair Baker comments:
“The supply market for marquees and temporary structures has been severely disrupted by Covid. Whilst the demand from social functions, such as weddings and sporting events, has been decimated a large number of structures have been re-allocated to hospitals and Covid testing stations, even supermarkets are utilising structures for ‘click and collect’ and queue management. With many hire companies having furloughed or ‘let go’ large numbers of experienced staff, the ability to specify and quote for hires is diminished and, depending on the particular supplier’s strategy for dealing with the Covid driven changes to their business, prices can either be significantly higher or significantly lower than pre Covid norms.”
Few academy trusts or local authorities have the capacity or expertise to undertake the proper specification of, and tendering for, the hire of temporary structures. Including associated equipment such as; furniture, generators, electrical fit out, carpeting, temporary toilets and utility supplies. This is category which the buying consortia traditionally favoured by the education sector are also poorly equipped to secure best value.
The lack of market price data, the ongoing liabilities around length of contract and exit strategies in the uncertain months ahead, and the H&S issues surrounding the use of such facilities, all combine to make this much more complex than simply ‘putting a marquee on the school yard’.
About the Author: Alastair Baker: with over 35 years in the live event industry, including a number of successful ERA projects, specialist Alastair Baker is able to support existing ERA clients and prospects in this sector with independent advice and consultancy. This could either be on a contingent basis where a school has already received a quotation for additional space, or on a fee for service basis where no clear benchmarks exist.