Our last instalment of ‘Meet the Venue’ focused on the Cardiff Principality Stadium, one of the key locations for Gallowglass’ summer events programme. However, this month, we’re turning our attention to London and the Historic Royal Palace venues within this vibrant city, starting with the stunning Tower of London, where Gallowglass event crews have worked since 2003.
Welcome to our next venue:
Name: Tower of London
Age: 940 years old
Location: London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Central London
Size: 49,000m2
Visitors: 2.8 million (2017)
History:
The famous historic landmark was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and is situated on the North bank of the River Thames. Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, most commonly known as ‘The Tower of London’, consists of several buildings set between two rings of defensive walls along with a moat. The Tower of London is most famous for its resident ravens which are kept for superstitious reasons as it’s believed they protect the Crown and the Tower. Interestingly, a minimum of six ravens must be resident at any one time.
Although it is now a popular tourist attraction, the World Heritage site has had many different during its long history, including a prison, grand palace, armoury and as the home of the Crown Jewels of England – a mere 23,500 jewels are held there today! Unknown to many, the Tower of London was also used as a royal menagerie for 600 years and housed a collection of exotic animals such as kangaroos, elephants, polar bears and lions. The Duke of Wellington closed the royal menagerie in 1835, and the animals were moved to London Zoo in Regent’s Park.
Gallowglass at the Tower of London:
Gallowglass has built a strong relationship with the Historic Royal Palaces and, as a result, in 2012, a long-term contract for all of the Historic Royal Palace venues was agreed, and we became principle contractors. We have been crewing at The Tower of London since 2003; our fifteen-year relationship with the venue has been a demanding yet enjoyable one, due to our involvement in a huge number of varied projects.
In addition to a huge range of private and corporate functions and events, Gallowglass have played an integral role in some major occasions at the Tower including the Game of Thrones Season 5 premiere and the installation of the Poppy memorial.
When events take place at the Tower of London, Gallowglass are responsible for setting up the designated rooms and spaces. This involves arranging seating and tables, staging, projectors, stands and screens, working from plans provided at the beginning of every shift by clients hiring the space. Due to our London event crew’s vast experience, together with their knowledge of the venue’s design and layout, we can guarantee efficient and effective turn-arounds for every client using those spaces.
Because our crew work weekly shifts at the venue, our team have gained substantial knowledge of the Tower of London. Thanks to their familiarity with the location and excellent understanding of the site, we can trust our staff to deliver a consistently high-quality service. Our expertise reassures the Historic Royal Palace staff, allowing them to be attentive to royal matters!
Keep an eye on the blog to find out which Historic Royal Palace we will be focusing on next.
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