Piazza / Benefactors Place

The Piazza is the outdoor space in front of the Rootes Building, and Benefactors Place is the area next to it with the Wednesday food trucks. This is a much rarer space than the other indoor ones, however is a popular spot for larger events or festivals with the budget of an outdoor stage.

Piazza Map

The following map shows the available power ducts and the closest networking points. If access to the network is required, Warwick IT Services will need to be contacted in advance.

Stage

The stage can be very variable, often being rented by the group hosting the event and not Tech Crew. For Warwick Presents, this is usually the ST30 Trailer Stage or ST60 Trailer Stage. These come in on a large truck and are put up by an external company, however they can generally help with rigging to truss and providing a ladder if Tech Crew is also present.

Sometimes, Tech Crew also has access to the Warwick Presents Gazebos which can be used as a tech tent - if this is the case, it's important to make sure that any cables from the stage to the tech tent are properly covered with cable ramps. Otherwise, the other option is to place the tech desk at the back of the stage itself, ensuring that it is covered from the weather. Both the SQ5 (sound) and FLX (LX) can be accessed remotely using a WiFi network.

Power

Unlike a room inside, the Piazza doesn't have any 13A power outlets! There are, however, various 16A outlets next to the wall in the Piazza and in the floor on Benefactors Place, with larger 63A 3-phase supplies also available in the distribution boxes.

Tech Crew only has a limited number of equipment to handle 16A to 13A conversion, and does not have any equipment for 63A - so you'll need to hire this from an external company, the SU or Estates.

Overnight Security

If leaving equipment out overnight, security is a large concern. Typically everything should be packed away each night and secured indoors, unless rigged high out of reach. Another option is to have someone there awake 24/7, but that can be difficult to arrange.

Community Safety can sometimes provide overnight security for a surcharge of around £16-20 hour, depending on availability.

Networking

Whilst the Piazza has default Wi-Fi coverage, getting a wired connection is much more difficult. The nearest network ports are in the Big Screen AV cupboard, or on any of the lamp posts with CCTV - but these aren't close to most ideal stage locations, or require crossing roads.

Whilst there is underground ducting under most of the Piazza (used already for power distribution), IT Services estimates that adding network cabling would cost above £500 due to needing to get contractors to put it in and take it out.

Tables and Chairs

Another thing to consider when outside is the need for tables and chairs, as these aren't as accessible. The SU Operations team can sometimes help with this if enough notice is provided, however these are also used for POP and circling so should be wiped down before use.

Food Market

The Piazza holds a food market every Wednesday, organised by the Warwick Food Group. Most large events can therefore not take place on Wednesday, and in 2024 the WSAF/Warwick Presents stage had to be packed down and moved to a close-by car park during this time.

It is also not permitted to serve food to the public on the Piazza (without prior advance agreement), likely because it can decrease Warwick Food Group sales.