Gandeys Circus to hold several Knutsford shows in May

Gandeys, which has strong links to the town, with performances dating back more than 100 years, will be erecting its famous big top on the Big Heath for performances between May 17-23.

It has been quite the year for Europe's largest touring big top show, with the pandemic having a unprecedented impact on all live events across the globe.

Gandeys will make a triumphant return to Knutsford on May 17.

Binky Beaumont, Tour Director at Exchange Events (Gandeys trading company) said it is such a massive relief to be able to get back to live performances.

"We were actually out on tour last March in Newcastle-under-Lyme, when everything got shut down," he explained.

"So we had the largest show touring in the UK and everything had to be dismantled and put away.

"We didn't know how long the lockdown was going to last for and presumed it would be a few weeks.

"The issue we had was the fact that we have a lot of people who are self-employed with us and for those that are foreign nationals, they come in to the country under certificates of sponsorship.

"This meant we weren't subject to any government support initially so we had to think of ways around it, including feeding and accommodating them.

"When it became clear the lockdown was going to last much longer, we then had to look at how we could get people home, which was a very difficult task due to travel restrictions in place in a lot of countries."

Its been an incredibly tough year for the lives events industry.

There was some light at the end of the tunnel when things slowly crept back into life last summer and Gandeys held some pilot schemes and came up with ideas about how events could be held in safe and covid-secure ways.

"This went on for a while and then in September we managed to hold an event in Knutsford again," Binky said.

"We had a reduced capacity, from over 1000 to below 400 and had to do less performances to take into account the time it was now taking people to come in and out of the venue.

"On top of all the new equipment we needed to buy, including hand sanitisers and one-way barriers, we were only able to tour for just seven weeks before we had another lockdown.

"All our normal Christmas events, including the pantos had to be cancelled and it was just a very long winter for everybody."

With spring very much in the air, the successful vaccination roll out and a fall in case numbers, it is very much hoped the remainder of 2021 will bring much more in the way productivity.

The company also had the added bonus of being awarded a significant grant from the Arts Council, which has come as a massive boon at just the right time.

Binky added: "We were lucky enough, along with the English National Opera and Royal Ballet, to be one of 30 companies to be given a grant.

"That shows just how important they consider us to be.

"We are the largest touring entertainment organisation in the UK for events like this and we generally have productions all over the world.

"Thankfully we're in a position now where we can get things started and when we open in Knutsford on May 17, we will be one of the first live shows to do so in the country."

The circus is fun for all the family, with all performances in a covid-secure environment.

The performances in May will still be performed in a covid-secure environment, which means a reduced capacity, one way systems and groups of no more than six, with that likely to be the case until at least June 21 when the government hopes to be able to lift all restrictions.

"We've also been granted Visit England's 'Good the Go' status, with all the new measures that are in place," he added.

"We're setting the standards for the whole country really, so other people and companies will be looking at us and using it as a benchmark to open up this summer themselves."

Tickets and further information about the shows in Knutsford can be found at gandeyscircus.com.