Transam Trucking left in limbo over live music shutdown
Transam Trucking has been left in limbo due to the coronavirus live music shutdown. Company director Natasha Highcroft (inset). Picture: Rachel Edge - Credit: Rachel Edge
A company whose trucks have been synonymous with live music for over 40 years is facing more months of uncertainty after seeing cancellation of its entire summer workload and no sign of the return of mass events.
Transam Trucking had been due to transport tours by Westlife, Paul McCartney, Iron Maiden and JLS. Pictures: Live Nation/Rhodes Media/Download - Credit: Live Nation/Rhodes Media/Download
Transam Trucking should have been transporting the live shows of everyone from Westlife to Guns ‘N’ Roses, Paul McCartney to Iron Maiden to gigs and festivals across Europe.
Instead its fleet of iconic black and gold trucks are parked up at its base on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, and the company has had to furlough more than 60 staff.
Directors Martin Palmer, Natasha Highcroft, and co-founders Sandie Flatt and Dave Flatt of Transam Trucking. Picture: Rachel Edge - Credit: Archant
MORE: Bob Marley to AC/DC to Taylor Swift - Transam Trucking marks 40 years on the roadCompany director Natasha Highcroft said: “Almost overnight all our work went away. The summer is usually our busiest time of the year. We would have all of our trucks out, plus subcontractors, so for the summer to go is a massive loss to our entire year.
“We have had to take almost all our trucks off the road and untax them. We have also had to furlough 18 office staff and 51 of our drivers.”
Transam Trucking has a fleet of 150 trucks based at a state-of-the-art facility near Eye. Picture: Rachel Edge - Credit: Archant
The company, which formed in 1978 with one truck to transport Bob Marley for a live show in Ibiza, is based near Eye, on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, where it has a state-of-the-art workshop for its fleet of 150 trucks and 160 trailers.
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Over the years it has transported tours for a who’s who of music stars, everyone from the Rolling Stones to AC/DC, U2 to Taylor Swift.
Transam Trucking has transported tours for everyone from AC/DC to the Rolling Stones since forming in 1978. Picture: Rachel Edge - Credit: Archant
With summer and autumn tours by artists ranging from JLS to Judas Priest, 21 Pilots and Westlife shows that included a date at Carrow Road in Norwich all cancelled or postponed, the company is left in limbo until live music can restart.
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Ms Highcroft said: “We are looking towards 2021, that is all we can do. No-one knows when it might return to normal. It all depends on social distancing guidelines.
“There is no date to work towards for live music to reopen. We are seeing some sectors returning on July 4, but there is no date for when mass gatherings can take place.
“It is all very well saying you could do a show socially distanced with 500 people in a 2,000 capacity venue, but how does that make it financially viable?”
MORE: Latitude boss reveals plan for pubs and music venues to reopen at full capacityThe company has managed to switch to some alternative haulage work but its specialist trucks mean this cannot make up for an otherwise empty order book.
It fears the end of the government furlough scheme may come before the live music sector returns.
“All the help that came through the furlough scheme could be taken away but we are still not going to have any work by the looks of things,” added Ms Highcroft.
