- Head of one of the most successful Battle teams calls for association chairman to stand down
- Comments follow publication of independent report, which said a ‘radical overhaul’ of the parade was required
- We asked how Islanders think the parade could be improved. Watch the video below
- See what people have been saying on the JEP’s Facebook page
THE head of the Battle of Flowers Association should step down, according to the chairman of one of the festival’s most successful exhibitors in recent times.
Paul Michel, chairman of the Optimists’ Club, which has won the Prix d’Honneur – the top prize – for the past three years, has said he would like to see serving Battle of Flowers Association chairman Tony Perkins stand down and make way for someone with fresh ideas.
His comments come after an independent report commissioned by the Economic Development Department was published earlier this week.
The document, which cost more than £5,000, criticised exhibitors, saying they had developed a reputation of being ‘incredibly demanding and reluctant to change’.
The report also recommend a host of radical changes to move the event, which has been part of Island life since 1902, into the modern era.
The suggestions include staging a static display at the People’s Park, re-routing the parade through town and holding the event earlier in the summer.
Mr Michel (32) said: ‘There needs to be a complete overhaul at the top.
‘Have you seen the Battle of Flowers website? It’s rubbish.
‘I would like to see some fresh blood and I think Tony needs to step down. He got challenged three years ago and said then it would be his last year.
‘We don’t see eye to eye. I would like to see someone who has been involved in a float recently.’
But Mr Perkins, who is 71 and has served three separate stints as chairman, has hit back saying his chairmanship is open to challenge.
‘We hold an annual general meeting every year and I am re-elected every time,’ he said.
‘People are more than welcome to stand against me.
‘We have got three new members on board who are all young.’
Mr Michel added that he agreed with many of the suggested changes highlighted in the report, which was written by events consultant Sarah Felton.
He said that he believed the roles of Mr and Miss Battle needed to be scrapped and he welcomed suggestions to bring the parade through town and hold the static display in the People’s Park.
Mr Michel said: ‘We would have to get the parish’s support, and closing town for a day could be difficult, but we are open to change.
‘However, the changes have to be beneficial.
‘The last good one we had was Kyran Bracken – he was really good.
Mark Labey, chairman of the Grouville Battle of Flowers Association, agreed that a static display in the People’s Park was a good idea but he warned that other suggested changes could be costly.
‘Changing the time of the festival would be a foolhardy decision because we rely on lots of holidaymakers to volunteer,’ he said.
‘Having it in the autumn would pose the obvious problem and would be nonsensical because of the weather.
‘If I was being brutally honest I think this is Visit Jersey trying to pass on their financial responsibilities to someone else in the States, I think that was the overall message.
‘I think most of the messages and points raised in the report have been raised before.
‘There were a couple that I liked such as moving the static display to the People’s Park.
‘If people look to the reasons why we have been reluctant to change then they would understand.
‘What I was quite disappointed about was that it said all of the exhibitors have a problem with the organisers. That is simply not true, there are a few, but most of us are in favour of them.
‘The other thing I was surprised to see in black and white was that they want to see more community engagement. We could hardly offer any more and its a complete community project.
‘The bottom line is that there are 2,500 volunteers and it would be a shame to put all that work to waste.
‘Everyone is in favour of the Battle of Flowers, but its maybe a case of just making some small changes to keep it going.’
A Battle of Flowers Association board meeting is due to be held next week to discuss the points raised in the report.
‘Need to make it bigger, not scrap it. The Rio Carnival is massive every year, Jersey can be a good destination too. We just need to make it a bigger spectacle which attracts more people and coverage. Encourage airlines etc to provide cheaper flights for those days. Solutions are there, just people on the Island are too lazy and/or old school minded to change things.’
David Le Moel
‘Moving it to a weekend (preferably Sunday) when more people are not working would make sense as you do not get the day off for the Battle of Flowers.’
Robert De Ste. Croix
‘Keep the flowers, they are the reason it’s on. Nowt wrong with a bit of history. It’s far too expensive…ditch most of the big silly seating to lower costs and open it up a bit, make it more accessible so people can get involved, add more carnival/dancing music. Needs to be relaxed…lose the pomp! Think festival, not parade.’
Lee James
‘Everything else has gone ..take this away and the Island is finished.’
Julia Bennison
‘Get rid and do something along the lines of the Notting Hill carnival. Line the streets right into town with DJs and bands and still have a parade but something else instead of flowers or Morris dancers. It has to be current and louder!’
Martin Campbell
‘Scrap it. Really? So people have no sense of tradition or the importance of the Battle to the huge numbers of locals, from spectators to float builders! People wonder why Jersey is falling apart and attracting no visitors! Lower ticket costs and put money into advertising it on a national scale. Float builders work hard every year to produce bigger and better floats, scrapping it would be the biggest kick in the teeth possible!’
Stacey Hansford
Robbo Robbo
‘Really excited to be coming over to see it again year. First time for my five year old, he can’t wait. But I do agree it is very expensive and no family rates. Better advertising would definitely help too’
Amanda Hickey
‘Ban any music that’s not upbeat and create a more carnival atmosphere. Its all got a bit stale and old hat. The people that go to watch need to be more involved too’
Kathy Jule
Have a representation from all 12 parishes:
‘During my interview with John Henwood (Chairman of the Tourism Shadow Board), he suggested in order for the event to be a true Jersey Battle of Flowers, all 12 parishes must be represented.
‘This may mean that the allocation of the guarantees or funding would need to be apportioned differently, perhaps given directly to the parish Constables.’
Simplify the judging process:
‘The consensus from the current exhibitors is that they aren’t in it ‘for the silverware’ and the current judging process is overly complicated and not as transparent as it should be.
‘It also has the overwhelmingly detrimental effect of removing the ‘fun’ from the event.’
Open the closed doors:
‘Over a number of years,these barriers have begun to be broken down with pre-battle shed tours being organised in the days leading up to the event.
‘Tours could perhaps be organised by the Association to provide added value to both spectators and corporate sponsors.’
Static Display – the People’s Park:
‘Therefore the recommendation is; floats are relocated to People’s Park, making this both the start of the parade and also the home of a fully accessible static display.’
Sustainability –local produce:
‘Jersey was once a major floral exporting island, but nowadays almost all the flowers for battle are imported from as far away as South America, via Holland.
‘John Henwood, Chairman of the Tourism Shadow Board, suggested working with Jersey farmers to fill the fallow time following the potato harvest and fill the fields with asters, marigolds or, taking inspiration from the Netherlands, dahlias.’
Providing value -not just two days
The suggestion is to use social media, the Battle website, E-newsletters and blogs to extend the length of the event.
Re-routing the parade:
‘The possibility of re-routing the parade was suggested by a number of stakeholders during the interview process;perhaps considering the route used in the Fête dé Noué Christmas parade by entering in to the town centre.’
Miss Battle:
‘The charitable element of this role is no longer as active.’
Mr Battle:
Ray Quinn was the wrong choice and focused should perhaps instead be placed on local celebtrities.
However, ‘That being said, it seems there is perhaps a missed opportunity when securing a celebrity like Ray Quinn; he does have a following within the island and in fact returned to perform a concert for those fans later in the year. Why this concert was not scheduled to take place pre-event is unclear.’
IT has been said many times before but today sees another serious call for Jersey’s premier tourist event to modernise.
Tales of communication breakdowns, resistance to repeated requests for change and problems in securing true value for money will bring a sense of déjà vu for many who have been involved with the parade over the years.
The Economic Development department’s commissioned report has given Islanders a valuable insight into the Battle of Flowers and once again highlighted the need for change.
Indeed, it would be inconsistent for the department to overhaul the old Jersey Tourism department to create Visit Jersey – a move which will modernise the Island’s approach to attracting much-needed tourists – and leave its jewel in the crown stuck in the past.
What will happen next is anybody’s guess, and if form is anything to go by the chances are that very little will alter, but what must be remembered is that any infighting and negotiating over the report does not deter the thousands of volunteers, who spend many hours a week working towards the event throughout the year.
Their input is invaluable and key, and without their dedication, the show would not have been anything near what it is today.
A price cannot be put on that community aspect and everything possible should be done to make sure it remains at the very heart of the summer celebration.
It has been suggested that one of the main problems appears to be the float builders’ resistance to change.
That refusal to modernise may be an attempt to retain their share of the financial aid on offer to build their magnificent exhibits, but at what long-term cost to the parade?
And, in what seems an obvious move to many, a simple day change and more affordable tickets could see a huge increase in locals being able to attend the event with their families.
Finally, it must also be said that Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham was absolutely right to investigate what value for money the Island was getting out of the Battle and similar exercises should be conducted across the board.
However, this is only the beginning of the job and he must now use its findings constructively and demand changes – if that is indeed what he thinks is best – as a condition of handing over thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money in the future.
