Held on 10 August in the London Borough of Hounslow’s Gunnersbury Park, The London Mela is a free event designed to celebrate the South Asian cultural scene. There’s music, arts and entertainment and plenty of traditional food for visitors. Such a blend of cultural diversity requires a certain sensitivity and awareness when it comes to crowd safety and security.
AP Security took on the job this year and, while it would be ideal to imagine that such a family-oriented affair should be inherently peaceful and trouble-free, with the current media attention focused firmly on gang culture and knife crime, it was vital for the company – working in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service – to take a measured approach in relation to any potentially adverse situations.
Comprehensive briefing for staff
“Our members of staff were given a comprehensive briefing so that they knew what to be aware of and how any occurrence ought to be handled,” said AP’s national sales manager John Phillips (who served as head of security for this particular event). “We had a highly experienced management team on site and, with the implementation of certain road closures in the area, the entrances to which were manned by our staff, the likelihood of unwanted factions gaining entry was immediately limited. That being the case, the public could be assured of trouble-free attendance.”
AP Security’s methods proved extremely successful. The crowds fully enjoyed the vibrancy of entertainment from urban, classical and experimental music through to DJs, a circus, comedic acts and a funfair that ran until the event closed at 8.00 pm.
Model of Best Practice
London Mela producer on behalf of Remarkable Productions is Julian Rudd. He told info4security: “AP has been part of the organisation for this event over the past six years. We have managed to attract audiences of all generations from all communities. Indeed, many colleagues from the emergency services and members of my own staff view The London Mela as a Best Practice model as to how security solutions providers and event organisers should work together.”
What is a Mela?
Melas originate from the Indian sub-continent. The word Mela comes from the sanskrit “to meet” and is related to “milana” (the verb to tune). It’s commonly used to describe a large gathering of people celebrating artistic, religious or political events – a fair or a festival.
Melas in south Asia have their origins in religious gatherings such as Diwali, Eid or Vaisakhi. Celebrations form an immeasurably important part of the sub-continent’s fabric. Melas are feasts of sights, smells, sounds and tastes and will often feature bazaars, folk troupes, traditional and contemporary music and dance.
From the desert Melas of Rajasthan to the Baisakhi Melas of Bangladesh, Melas are held throughout South Asia. Audiences can vary in size from a few hundred to a few million – the Kumbh Mela, for example, is held in four locations every twelve years and attracts 2.5 million people over a 24-hour period.
The London Mela: a brief history
In 2003, the first London Mela took place supported by the Mayor of London. Produced by Ealing Council, it attracted 60,000 people with more than 90,000 attending the following year – proving how successful and popular a pan-London Mela could be. Now an established highlight in the Capital’s cultural calendar, the London Mela is an artistically led celebration of Asian culture and creativity, inspired by South Asia and the Diaspora.
Widely described as the Asian Glastonbury, the London Mela is reinventing Mela outside South Asia. It is one of the only Melas in the country to commission new work, and it provides a platform for emerging British artists as well as bringing traditional and classical art forms to a wider audience.
With a third of the audience from non-Asian communities, it is a truly inter-cultural family event with something for every generation of every community.