http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=978551
Paul Whitehouse
The city centre of Sheffield could be plunged into chaos by watertight security arrangements planned for the three-day G8 summit of the world's richest nations between May 15 and 17. Police have so far refused to go into detail about the effect of their arrangements to safeguard Ministers while in Sheffield.
However, it has emerged that a section of the city centre will be effectively closed down while one high-profile meeting takes place.
The Lyceum Theatre has cancelled an evening show following discussions with police and Sheffield Council and it is understood several roads in the area, including Surrey Street and Norfolk Street, will be sealed off. The scale of the security arrangements became apparent when Lyceum officials told Woodseats Musical Group that the premises would not be available for one evening of its six-night run planned for May. The semi-professional group has sunk £52,000 into the production and says the decision could potentially cost it £18,000 in lost ticket sales.
That could leave the group struggling to break even. Spokesman Alan Brailey said: "They have said they are closing the theatre because an event for the G8 will be held nearby.
"We asked why they were closing and they said they were not prepared to take the risk. "Our costs remain the same, however. The scenery is costing £5,000 and the costumes £6,000 but we don't get a sixth of that back because we are losing a show."
The group is now checking whether they have any right to compensation because of problems caused by the G8. It is expected the Home Office will meet the cost of the security operation for the summit, though they were still in discussions with South Yorkshire Police.
Other traffic restrictions in the area are also expected, the authorities having to guard against both the threat from terrorism and from protesters.
People planning protests are already using the Internet to exchange information. Officially, police will not comment even to confirm which areas of Sheffield will be used for G8 meetings. It is likely, though, that other meetings will take place in the city centre and that similar restrictions will be imposed.
All leave for South Yorkshire officers has been cancelled for the period foreign dignitaries will be in Sheffield, confirming the force will be working to its maximum capacity.
The summit was arranged while Brightside MP David Blunkett was serving as Home Secretary and the decision to host the event in Sheffield was regarded as a major coup for the city. The G8 countries are the world's most influential powers and are: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, the United States and Russia.
Sheffield will host a meeting of home affairs and justice ministers, the international equivalents of Britain's Home Secretary, making the event an obvious target for terrorists. One role of G8 countries is to work together to try to minimise the threat from terrorism by introducing tighter security.
A South Yorkshire force spokesman said: "We are working to ensure all the gatherings of home affairs and justice ministers pass off smoothly and with the best possible security and safety, as would be the objective with any large- scale event.
"In terms of the detail of how we will achieve that, I am not at liberty to say. "Given the fact that senior ministers will be in Sheffield on those dates, then clearly we have a duty and an obligation to safeguard their ability to take part in the Government-organised discussions that will be taking place," he said.
23 March 2005
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date change
11.04.2005 11:27
observer
dates
12.04.2005 15:40
http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=whatson.glance
The official G8 web site still has it down for June:
June 2005 -- 16-17th G8 Justice and Interior Ministers, Sheffield, UK
http://www.g8.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1078995903839
That's a Thursday and Friday and it matched with the Theatre timetable:
Guys and Dolls
Woodseats Musical Theatre Company
Tuesday 14th - Saturday 18th June 2005
http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=whatson.production&ProductionID=142
So I seem clear that the crappy Yorkshire Post has got iot wrong...
stopwatch
Springboard hope as city prepares to host summit
12.04.2005 15:49
AN INTERNATIONAL summit to be staged in Sheffield is being used as a springboard to raise the city's profile as a conference venue and tourist destination.
Paul Whitehouse
The G8 justice and home affairs ministers' conference was organised when David Blunkett was still Home Secretary and will take place over three days in mid-June.
Organised by the Home Office, it is one of the biggest of several meetings for leaders of the G8 countries, some of the world's leading nations, to take place in Britain this year.
Sheffield Council is hoping the international publicity generated by the event will help to raise the city's profile both for commercial meetings and as a "destination" city for weekend tourists.
Its aim is to show off some of the city's latest developments, such as the Winter Gardens, in an attempt to generate new interest in the city.
Sheffield Council chief executive Bob Kerslake said: "How we handle the event is really important. We are putting a lot of effort into making sure the event goes smoothly, so the place looks good.
"This is the biggest opportunity we have had to promote the city internationally for some while.
"You can never know how much coverage it will get – you just don't know – but for the city it's a big opportunity and we need to harness that.
"We have not really marketed Sheffield as a city of destination. It is a bit like the snooker – when showing the snooker they show the Winter Gardens and people watching think it is a place they might want to go to."
Sheffield was chosen as the venue for the conference while Brightside MP Mr Blunkett was Home Secretary.
The Government will pay for all the conference venues and most of the policing for the event, but Sheffield Council is also putting work into brightening up the city centre in an attempt to increase its appeal.
That will include work by the council's Streetforce department to ensure the area is as clean as possible and the use of floral displays.
Other elements of the event are also being carefully manage to try to ensure the city's image is as positive as possible.
Gifts which will be presented to visiting dignitaries will be carefully chosen to reflect the modern face of Sheffield and visiting journalists, who are expected to travel from countries including America, will be given Press information to ensure they learn as much about the city as possible.
Work is also taking place to try to involve the community of Sheffield in the event as far as possible.
It is expected that schoolchildren will entertain some of the visitors.
12 April 2005
yorkshiretoday.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1084&ArticleID=995968
Chance to show off city to the world
12.04.2005 15:52
Home Office ministers from the 'big eight' industrial nations will converge on South
Yorkshire between June 15 and 17.
And with them will be more than 150 journalists from the global media.
Council chiefs say it will be their biggest ever opportunity to promote Sheffield to the world.
Bob Kerslake, chief executive of Sheffield Council, said: "It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase the city.
"It's the biggest opportunity we have to profile the city internationally.
"We want to make it a successful and secure event and if we get this right our reputation is established and we can do it again in the future."
Representatives from the USA, UK, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Russia will come together in Sheffield before the G8 heads of state summit meet in Gleneagles, Scotland, the following month.
The Sheffield event will be the biggest of all the G8 summits after Gleneagles and journalists booked hotels in the city months ago in preparation.
On arrival they will be given press packs which include details about Sheffield and they will be encouraged to write about the region as well as the conference.
Mr Kerslake said the council was ready to capitalise on the publicity.
"The Home Office will meet all the costs, our main input is dressing up the city and making the press welcome.
"How we handle the event is really important because if the media can't find their way around they won't report it very well.
"We can do a lot of things to influence them though, such as having flowers and street cleaning so the city looks good.
"We have even put a lot of thought into the gifts we will give to the VIPs, which will be made by a local company so they have a connection with Sheffield.
"You don't know how much press coverage you will get, but for the city it's a massive opportunity and we need to harness it."
Council chiefs hope the summit will be a springboard for the city to become a major destination.
"We hope it will raise our profile as a venue for conferences and as a city destination.
"In another year all the developments in the city centre will be in place and it will look absolutely terrific.
"It will be a very attractive place and we want people to think it's a place to go for a weekend away."
Mr Kerslake said along with wooing the media, local people would also be encouraged to get involved.
"We want to engage the city so it's not something which is just happening and not really connecting with people.
"We are seeing if local children and students can be part of it by showing us which issues they are interested in. We want people in the city to feel part of the event."
G8 is the group of the eight most powerful nations who get together every year to set out ways of tackling the biggest problems facing the world such as terrorism, famine and climate change.
The meeting will look at international issues including counter-terrorism, migration, law enforcement, legal affairs and hi-tech crime.
12 April 2005
sheffieldtoday.net
Homepage: http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=996224
G8
13.04.2005 19:46
(G8 June)
Kerslake Critter