KES – By Blooming Royal Appointment
07/06/2023
Shortly after the coronation, King Charles was straight on the phone to KES. He knew the Royal Chelsea Flower Show was coming up, and an event of that calibre needed the best power supplies.
Ok, maybe the orders didn’t come directly from the palace, but The Royal Chelsea Flower Show is a prestigious event in the summer calendar, and KES are delighted to be involved in making it the success that we’ve come to know and love.
To those not in the know, the Chelsea Flower Show is one of the most prestigious flower shows in the world. It’s organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and takes place over five days in late May in the impressive grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. This year the event ran from Monday 22nd May, to Saturday 27th May.
The show has a long and rich history, dating back to 1862. It was initially known as the Great Spring Show and was held at gardens in Kensington until 1913, when it moved to its current location at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
The show attracts visitors from all over the world, including celebrities, gardening enthusiasts, horticultural professionals, members of the general public and, of course, the Royal Family. It showcases the most creative, stunning displays of flowers, plants, landscaping, and garden designs.
Behind the Scenes Power Preparation
An event of this scale that attracts so much attention must run without hiccups. The behind-the-scenes work that goes into ensuring things run smoothly is not to be underestimated. There are logistics, water (crucial for a flower show!) and, of course, the power supply that must be taken into account.
Power is needed across the showground and exhibition area to supply everything from lights and water features to retail, hospitality and catering outlets.
We have shared on our projects page about the work KES has done with the Royal Chelsea Flower Show in the past. We designed a bespoke distribution solution that was up to the job of powering the event, especially during its high-demand peak.
The distribution panel we built and supplied was fully automatic, intelligent and capable of selecting the correct supply to meet the power demands.
Automatic Mains Failure
On top of the bespoke distro, KES provide ongoing support to the team at the Chelsea Flower Show. Every year, before the show opens, our team visits the show to check the distribution panel and all the associated kit. We also ensure that the AMF panel (automatic mains failure) works correctly and provide the annual checks.
If needed, the AMF switches power over to an on-site generator if the mains fail. Whilst not a permanent solution, the generator can supply sufficient power until the main supply is fixed.
The Royal Chelsea Flower Show is a highly anticipated and respected event in the world of gardening and horticulture and the summer events calendar. It’s televised throughout show week, and on the opening day, members of the royal family and invited guests get to preview the gardens. Having a power failure would be unthinkable! Thankfully, with KES on the case, they can rest assured that the show is in safe hands.
