Gandeys Circus racing against the clock
RACING against the clock continues to be the theme for Gandeys Circus as it arrived in the island yesterday with little more than 48 hours to be ready for its first performance.
More than 10 articulated lorries of equipment and heavy machinery were driven off of the Commodore Clipper yesterday afternoon and escorted by police to Cambridge Park. More than 50 crew members who accompanied the equipment now have to turn part of the park into a showground.
‘It takes three days to put everything up normally. We’re really working against the clock here and are going to be working hard for the next 48 hours,’ said Gandeys Circus tour director Binky Beaumont.
‘The boat was late, we’re travelling with a police escort up to Cambridge Park, and with the huge amount of equipment and heavy machinery, we have to be very careful.
‘The schedule is extremely tight but the tent poles and big top should be up in the morning.’
Cambridge Park was the last-minute choice of venue for the circus after its usual location at Victoria Avenue was waterlogged by heavy rainfall last week.
The police escort took the heavy lorries along the seafront to Admiral Park and up to Cambridge Park, which was previously thought to be too narrow to accommodate the vehicles.
Always visiting Guernsey first on the tour, Mr Beaumont said that if a venue had not been secured, the Jersey leg would also be cancelled as the cost to go to just one island could not be justified.
The team just finished two weeks of sold out shows at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, before travelling down the Portsmouth to board the Clipper.
Between long hours of building up the showground, the crew will be staying in local hotels for the duration of the tour leg.
