Margate, Maputo or Matjiesfontein?

The decision on the venue for the awards is made on an annual basis. This year, before the event was even over, rumours about the 2009 host town began to spread. Depending who you're talking to, the event will either be back at Sun City, in Maputo, linked to the Design Indaba in Cape Town, or in a host of other small Karoo towns - or remain where it is in Margate.

“Although we have been in discussion with our partners in Margate and the KZN region about a multi-year agreement, it remains an annual decision,” says Andrew Human, MD of The Loerie Awards. “The Loeries Committee will review this year's awards, and a decision will be announced about 2009 in September [2008].”

Pros and cons

“After four years in Margate, our team and the local community have learnt what to expect - allowing us to improve on services all round,” says Human. “Obviously there are pros and cons to each venue. Margate offers us a small-town atmosphere with plenty of affordable accommodation and services all within walking distance of the venue. It's also fantastic for Joburgers and Capetonians to get away from the miserable winter weather and enjoy the wonderful tropical climate of the South Coast.”

Although Margate provides all of this, there are two main challenges that the venue presents for future Loeries Festival Weekends. “The two main difficulties we face are that Durban International Airport is moving further north, increasing travel time to Margate, and that there is no permanent venue in the town for the Awards ceremony.”

As The Loerie Awards ceremonies are reported to be the most advanced audiovisual productions in South Africa, the production logistics would be far simpler in a permanent structure.

Human adds, however, “There are very few venues large enough to accommodate us, and certainly none outside of the major centres. Moving to a larger city would certainly mean losing the intimacy of Margate and the ‘Cannes' type environment.”

Human also puts to rest the rumour that the Loeries will become part of the Design Indaba in years to come. “One thing is for certain, and that is that the Loeries won't be tagging on to the Design Indaba in Cape Town next year,” he concludes.