THE PERFECT STAGE PAUL BUSH, EVENTSCOTLAND
Does the jewel in Scotland’s events future lie in a field off the M8?
In a wide-ranging interview VisitScotland’s director of events, Paul Bush talks strategy, vision… and lobs in a few controversial thoughts
BY WILLIAM PEAKIN I
n the years leading up to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup in 2014, there was a sense that these occasions would represent the
pinnacle in Scotland’s ambition to establish itself as a world leader in staging events. It was a subject that was discussed
openly, within the industry and by those observing the build-up. With what, exactly, could Scotland ever hope to top the scale of an interna- tional multi-sport event, such as the Games? Certainly not the Olympics, nor the football world cup, nor probably even the rugby world cup (though Ireland’s contention for 2023 should give pause for thought). As 2014 neared, it was difficult
to escape the feeling that, without another ‘tent-pole’ type of event to look forward to, the years beyond to 2020 would be like a slide down the
other side of the mountain. Despite the undeniably positive impact that the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup – as well as the 2014 Cul- ture Programme and the second Year of Homecoming - had on Scotland, for those whose business is events, the question was, well, what now? For some, particularly those who
were hired from outside Scotland specifically to lead the Games, the answer seemed obvious; move on … to Gold Coast, Rio or Tokyo. While the Scots who also held
senior positions have tended to stay here in other jobs, some lower down the hierarchy began looking outside Scotland in order to maintain the up- ward trajectory of their career.
NURSING A COFFEE in a branch of Costa, across the road from VisitScot- land’s office at Ocean Point in Leith, the organisation’s director of events Paul Bush is clearly familiar with the
46 | EVENTSBASE | WINTER 2015
phenomenon and he has his own, typically trenchant, views on the migratory nature of event organisa- tion (more of which later). But, as for Scotland’s future, Bush
appeared genuinely optimistic; a mood which would be validated a few weeks later with the announce- ment that Gleneagles had been chosen as the venue for the 2019 Solheim Cup, the top team event in women’s golf, beating Te Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Sweden after a shortlist of 10 had been whittled down to just two contenders. “I’ve always had the belief that
2014 was not the top of the moun- tain - and that we would just fall off a precipice – but that 2014 was part of a journey; a springboard to the future,” he said. “Tere are some classic examples of where that [fall] has happened; where’s Athens now after the 2004 Olympics, where’s Delhi after the 2010 Commonwealth Games?
Paul Bush, photographed in Glasgow during the World Gymnastics Championships held at the Hydro and the day it was announced Gleneagles had won the bid to be the Solheim Cup venue in 2019. Picture: Jeff Holmes
“Tere were a range of reasons;
[lack of] vision and aspiration, politi- cal support, finance. Yet, there are other examples from around the world that have done really well. Look at Melbourne from 2006; it’s just a constant supply chain of success.”
BUSHWAS SPEAKING on a bright September afternoon, following the publication earlier that month of a new ten-year “collaborative strategy” to grow Scotland’s £3.5bn events industry. Te strategy, Scotland – Te Perfect Stage, describes how Scotland can enhance its reputation nationally and internationally “as the perfect stage for events”. “So, we looked around the world
to ensure that we too have got that constant supply chain - and the focus for us as an organisation be- tween 2010 and 2014, was to put that in place. Just look at this evening, for example,” said Bush, referring to MTV’s ‘Live Lockdown’ event and the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68