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Mall bosses will learn crowd lessons
Tuesday 5th May 2009, 12:15PM BST.
The crowds at Telford Shopping Centre for Same Difference
Telford Shopping Centre bosses have vowed to learn the lessons of a chaotic public appearance by stars of Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor.
Centre bosses were forced to temporarily close the mall after thousands of people crammed in yesterday afternoon. Many fans feared for their safety, at least one person was sick and one man was seen lifting his child above his head while the youngster was still in his pushchair.
Leah Roberts, spokeswoman for Telford Shopping Centre, said: “We will learn from this.
“The most important thing for us is shopper safety and, to my knowledge, nobody was hurt.
“We had prepared for it and drafted in extra security. But we didn’t expect it to be so popular. There were more shoppers and fans than we’d expected.”
The shopping centre’s busiest event of the year is usually the Christmas lights switch on, which attracts between 500 and 700 people.
However, yesterday’s event saw between two and three times that many try to cram into the centre.
Ms Roberts added: “We would normally have between eight and 10 security on for a busy shopping day but yesterday there were 15.
“We drafted a number of security away from car parking duties to assist with crowd control.
“We had deliberately staggered the entertainment across the lunchtime and early afternoon, so that there were not too many people in one place at the same time.
“However, the event was exceptionally popular and a lot of shoppers tried to get along.
“Our primary concern was public safety, which is why we decided to change the running order during the afternoon.”
The frenzied scenes started shortly before a performance at noon by X Factor duo Same Difference in Sherwood Square.
A meet and greet also caused chaotic scenes.
Tracey Hadley, another spokeswoman for the shopping centre, said that a planned performance later on by Signature was reduced from 10 minutes to just one song.
Staff at Debenhams were also forced to pull down some of the shutters as people spilled into the store.
Many witnesses complained of poor crowd control.
By Andy Richardson
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Just think what’ll be like a REAL celebrity turns up!!!
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Spot on Simon, I think anyone with a pulse qualifies as a celebrity now don’t they?
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And its ‘Arcade’ not ‘Mall’. Have a nice day.
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LMAO at Simon – thats exactly what I was thinking!
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WOW, nearly A tradegy then, come to think of it, this IS Tragic.
Serves `em right I say !
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It was a logistical nightmare to be truthful. You couldnt get to the multistore unless you went outside (in the rain) or to the Town Park unless you went the long way around. Plus I went to report a problem to security and was told that they would TRY and deal with it which they DIDNT.
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SACK the people who were in charge. Clearly they are not trained or experianced enough to have prganised such an event and they put peoples lives at risk.
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It was hilarious. Some group of talentless eejits singing karaoke cover versions to clueless teenagers. I saw the girl being sick being comforted by a couple of police officers – I started laughing because it all seemed so pathetic.
Nobody’s life was in danger as the comment above says, but the area isn’t suited to any kind of event or public appearance. Imagine if someone really famous was in town – like Madonna, the Pope or Rick Astley?
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I love the way its always the organisers’ or the police’s fault when a large crowd gathers and people get crushed or injured.
Why don’t we blame the real culprits – the ignorant people who push and shove others in an effort to get where they want to, regardless of the ultimate effects of their actions.
If no one pushed, no one would get crushed.
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I find it interesting that the excellent second-hand book fairs that used to be held in the Town Centre were discontinued a while ago because they weren’t in keeping with what the centre owners wanted, but this sort of ‘chav fest’ is encouraged.
You reap what you sow chaps…
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Well said Peter, the book fairs have been greatly missed, the centre owners have only one criteria, what will bring the largest crowds to fill the car parks and their bank accounts.
I am very surprised that they still allow hundreds of people to enter the centre without payment, haven’t their accountants spotted that turnstyles at the entrance to the bus station would generate even more money and fill their troughs.
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mall/shopping centre – same difference! do you get it?
oh well, I dont think that the organisers actually thought that people would turn up!
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Lives at Risk? Get a grip!! There were loads of people, but life threatening it was not!
On a personal note, I was about most of the time, and the staff reacted really well to ensure safety was in mind. I think it’s great to have something positive happening in Telford, even if it was minor acts (but people obviously wanted to see them!)
This world is PC mad!
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