Behind The Experience

Guests may never see the inspection records, operating procedures or asset management systems behind a successful attraction and, arguably, they shouldn’t have to.

But as the UK’s attractions industry looks towards a period of significant investment, what happens behind the scenes is becoming every bit as important as what guests encounter out front. For Jon Ruddock, Managing Director of LEAPS, one of the issues is the difference between being able to demonstrate compliance and knowing that the systems behind it are genuinely working. “One of the biggest challenges in the sector is that compliance on paper does not always translate into consistent assurance in practice,” he says. “Operators need to be able to demonstrate not just that minimum requirements have been met, but that their systems, competence and day-to-day controls are genuinely effective.”

It is an important distinction in an industry where equipment, operations and the responsibilities placed upon staff continue to develop. LEAPS – the Leisure Equipment Asset Protection Scheme – provides an assurance and certification framework for fixed-site leisure operators. It works with independent inspection bodies registered with the scheme, assessing their competence and subsequently certifying inspection work, helping operators build an ongoing history of compliance.

But Ruddock’s interest is not simply in whether the paperwork is present. LEAPS also gets involved in what happens on the ground: reviewing procedures, undertaking operational assurance visits and looking at how sites actually function. Training, staff competence and safety culture can all come under consideration, while mystery audits offer another way of finding out whether what should happen in theory is happening in practice.

“The aim is to support real operational improvement, not just a tick-box exercise,” says Ruddock. That practical element becomes particularly relevant as attractions grow. A park investing in larger or more technically complex equipment is not simply buying another ride; it also has to consider the knowledge, inspection arrangements, maintenance systems and operational procedures required to look after that asset throughout its working life. For a UK industry with ambitious plans for growth, it is an easily overlooked part of the investment equation. There are already examples of operators using LEAPS as that additional layer of assurance. Its work now encompasses different areas of fixed-site leisure, with the framework designed to bring operators, inspectors and other stakeholders towards a clearer
and more consistent standard.

Ruddock also believes the principles have potential beyond the UK. “Our ambition is for LEAPS to continue evolving with the sector and outside of the UK – strengthening competence, governance and asset assurance in a way that is practical, transparent and credible for modern leisure operations.” It is not necessarily the side of the attractions business that makes the promotional photographs. But every new ride, immersive environment and ambitious expansion eventually becomes an asset that somebody has to operate, inspect and maintain. Investment may create the attraction. Good systems help ensure it remains an attraction worth investing in.