{"id":2253,"date":"2018-07-23T14:21:31","date_gmt":"2018-07-23T14:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/stamford\/?p=259"},"modified":"2018-07-23T14:21:31","modified_gmt":"2018-07-23T14:21:31","slug":"the-interview-stamfords-colin-ward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/rutland-and-stamford\/highlights\/the-interview-stamfords-colin-ward\/07-2018","title":{"rendered":"The Interview: Stamford’s Colin Ward"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This month we\u2019ve an exclusive interview with Stamford live events entrepreneur Colin Ward about his life and work with Live Promotions as he celebrates 50 years of life among the stars…<\/p>\n

As the saying goes, find a job you love and you\u2019ll never do a day\u2019s work again in your life. It\u2019s certainly true for local businessman Colin Ward, whose career as a promoter this month reaches the milestone of 50 years. It\u2019s a job which has taken him around the world, but also grounded Colin in the area, where he\u2019s lived all his life. We recently caught up with Colin at The George of Stamford in between meetings to find out how his many interests in life have\u00a0intersected with his career as a live events promoter.<\/p>\n

Are we correct in saying that you\u2019ve always been a local boy?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s right. I was born and raised in Spalding and was schooled at Spalding Grammar, then at college and the finally the School of Art studying what was grandly referred to as Industrial Art – otherwise known as printing!<\/p>\n

And art was your first love, specifically album covers?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s right. I aspired to work either as a designer or in the music industry, and album covers is where the two interests intersected. I was in a band at the time, it was called Sounds Force Five, and we were fortunate enough to be making waves in the local music scene at venues like the area\u2019s RAF camps, and so on. The area was an incredible place for music at the time with Jimi Hendrix,\u2008Cream and many others performing locally.<\/p>\n

We all eventually fell into a hippy counter-culture frame of mind and the psychedelia movement yielded some stunning album\u00a0covers. We had a great time travelling far and wide. The most memorable gig for me was on the beach at Perranporth in Cornwall a phenomenal open air gig that really takes me back!<\/p>\n

But then adult life beckoned?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

I was torn between music and pursuing a career in art and design, so I ended up working in Peterborough and London as an artistic buyer, commissioning art for EMAP. These included promotion for events like the Isle of Man TT, my first taste of life as a promoter; needless to say, one which quickly began to appeal!<\/p>\n

It was a good job but one that was fraught with frustration too. I regularly quit the job, to the extent that it became an in-joke between my wife Daphne and I. She and I would be sitting in the car and the Managing Director would tap on the window asking me to come back into the office and come back to work!<\/p>\n

How did you begin your own events company, Live Promotions?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Some time around that point, a friend asked for help promoting a folk music event, which neatly ensured all of my interests came together; an ability to be creative, working with talented musicians and to play a part in organising an event. There was a lack of good event venues and good music acts in the area so circumstances, I felt, were right and we began Live Promotions in 1972. I say we, because as well as Daphne\u2019s constant support, I\u2019ve always been blessed with some excellent colleagues like George Slinger who later departed to run Birchgrove Garden Centre, and Bob Limming who has been with me for 40 years now, and is also a Director of the company. My son-in-law Tom also joined the company 12 years ago and it\u2019s great to have a family connection in the business too.<\/p>\n

Together we began to host events at Boston\u2019s Assembly Rooms, local cinemas or theatres and venues as far afield as London, with acts across the genres of jazz, country music and pop music.<\/p>\n

But live music events were only half the story?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s right. We picked up corporate work, which was a crucial period of change for the business. Some of our clients included breweries like Skol & Tetley beers and Marlborough tobacco.<\/p>\n

We became the \u2018can do\u2019 company, satisfying any client\u2019s brief. We held a German-themed medieval banquet at Belvoir Castle, organised concerts on boats on the Thames, and in our most ambitious – and generously monetised – campaign, which saw us hiring Concorde to fly over the offices of one of our clients whilst hosting a \u2018street party\u2019 in their head office comp\u00e9red by Phillip Schofield!<\/p>\n

And then the \u2018digital revolution\u2019 happened?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes. It was a changing business climate and client work was changing as well, to become more rewards-oriented. In the mid to late 1980s we created Truckfest, and our Land Rover events.<\/p>\n

These were our in-house projects and the company underwent a huge change, hosting our own events – which were more secure by virtue of the fact that we owned them \u2013 rather than working for our clients.<\/p>\n

With success soon following?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The company grew from just a handful of people to around 20. We built relationships with venues like Lincoln Castle, Burghley House and stately homes, as well as taking Truckfest nationwide.<\/p>\n

How large is Live Promotions now?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

We have 18 people in the office and host about 26 events a year, entertaining about 200,000 people annually including 60,000 at Peterborough\u2019s flagship Truckfest event.<\/p>\n

What was your most successful moment in business?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The most prestigious event that we were involved in took place in 2012, when we organised The Queen\u2019s Jubilee event at Burghley House. I was on the organising committee and it was attended by over 10,000 guests.<\/p>\n

I worked closely with the late and very great Tony Worth and met HM The Queen briefly, which was one of the proudest moments of my life. Aside from that, Truckfest has been the greatest achievement… I suppose every poet has a sort of magnum opus, and that\u2019s ours.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s so popular and well-attended that I feel really proud to be associated with it, and we\u2019ve had no end of celebrities making appearances at the event over the years, like Noel Edmonds.<\/p>\n

Do you have any business regrets? \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Not regrets as such. In hindsight, I wish we\u2019d have hung on to the corporate work a little longer. It was a great industry to be in, and a different matter entirely to working in the music industry.<\/p>\n

What stars and celebrities have you worked with – any favourites? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m no longer starstruck and I try not to have favourites, especially when we\u2019re planning an event; we\u2019re there to work. It sounds blas\u00e9, but when you\u2019re putting your name to the event you have to deliver the concert and to ensure that it\u2019s successful regardless of the talent.<\/p>\n

And you\u2019re not a fan of backstage pass requests? \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Afraid not! I cringe because musicians have to work hard and perform to the best of their ability so they can\u2019t be begrudged their time to mentally prepare before and to \u2018recover\u2019 mentally after the event. I\u2008don\u2019t like intruding on that.<\/p>\n

Who has impressed you most?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been very lucky to work with lots of very hard-working acts, and I\u2019ve a bulging contacts book of really good people who are totally professional, dedicated to putting on a really great event for their audiences.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve worked with Jools Holland on a number of occasions and he\u2019s very good indeed. His drummer, Gilson Lavis, is local too and I\u2019ve become good friends with him. They\u2019re an incredibly successful pair. Likewise I\u2019ve organised events with Bryan Ferry who is a total gentleman. He\u2019s a great performer and a real professional. The presenter Fiona Bruce also worked with us three years ago to host an event akin to the last night of the proms, which was a real pleasure too.<\/p>\n

But generally you\u2019re not in the business to work with celebrities? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh absolutely not! I absolutely love running the business, and I couldn\u2019t contemplate retirement. I could never fully retire as I\u2019d be very bored. I\u2019ve always had an interest in music and I\u2008love facilitating it for the enjoyment of other people. That\u2019s the best thing about it.<\/p>\n

I never switch off from the business, I\u2019m open all hours and always on the look out for projects I\u2008can get involved in. In that sense it\u2019s full on but it\u2019s still a profound pleasure too.<\/p>\n

And what music is on your CD player or streaming playlist right now?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

I return to Jools Holland time and again, and love the energy and skill with which he performs. I\u2019ve also been listening to the guitarist Albert Lee and to Rod Stewart. I\u2019ve seen Rod live, and the Stones too quite recently, but my musical tastes are quite eclectic, and both Daphne and I enjoy classical and opera as well.<\/p>\n

We travelled to the oldest opera house in Venice where Callas made her early musical debuts, and to the destinations which inspired Vivaldi\u2019s Four Seasons.<\/p>\n

You take pleasure in researching your musical interests?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Absolutely. And history is a great interest too, one which will see me go through phases of mild obsession… my period of fascination with the artist John Constable last year for instance.<\/p>\n

I try to visit Venice each year, and have been to Rome a couple of times too. They\u2019re such beautiful cities and they\u2019re all home to really unique stories which I\u2008love exploring.<\/p>\n

Which is how you enjoy relaxing when you\u2019re not in the office?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, but principally I love spending time with my family. We\u2019ve two grown-up children who work in the aviation industry and in the family business respectively. We\u2019ve five grandchildren, whom I absolutely adore. I\u2019m a real \u2018family man\u2019 and I\u2008think it\u2019s great having the kids and grandkids around us at home. We\u2019ve a couple of dogs too; a lively wire-haired dachshund and a Cairn terrier.<\/p>\n

I love nature and I absolutely adore wildlife. We\u2019ve a family of foxes that visit the garden, badgers too. I really enjoy birdwatching and escape to Norfolk regularly to watch the world go by on a beach. Simple pleasures are often the best.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the secret to a happy family life?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Daphne and I are approaching our 50th wedding anniversary, and I\u2008think the secret is tolerance. Too many people give up on marriage these days.<\/p>\n

Every couple will have moments that aren\u2019t as good as others but in a marriage you\u2019re there to support each other. My marriage has brought me more pleasure than anything else in my life as we\u2019ve shared so many day-to-day experiences together; that\u2019s the beauty of marrying your best friend.<\/p>\n