3 ) In-depth interview with a hirer.

Questionnaire for BIHA Members being featured in the Monthly Newsletter.

Name: Charles (Chas) Benson

Name of your inflatable business? SLIDERS Fun Rides. Check out my site at http://www.slidersfunrides.com/

Number of years in the inflatable business?

Nearly four years but have been full time about two and a half years.

What are the main types of inflatables you hire out?

Giant Slide, A Set of Mini Quads, and various castles.

Do you hire out any other equipment (apart from inflatables)?

We just sold a small catering trailer. No money in catering unless you do it full time.

Your age? 41

Previous occupation?

I was a Signalman on the Railway.

How and why did you originally get into the inflatable business?

A very good friend of mine, Dave Liddle of Tamworth Bouncy Bouncers (not a member I don't think) told me all about the business one day. Funny thing is, that very morning my wife Joanne and I had seen a Giant Slide in our town centre. I watched as this lady took, what I imagined, was hundreds of pounds. After talking to Dave, I went home, made my mind up to buy a slide and within a couple of weeks, I was the proud owner of a 40x28x30 Bounceabout Giant Clown Slide. I had to sell my nearly new sports car to finance my start-up.

Your best memory of the business?

Taking my Slide and family all around Cornwall through a whole summer, travelling with the Scott May Motorcycle Stunt Show! We worked for couple of hours each day and did very well. I also give a large amount of my takings to various charities throughout the year.

Your worst memory of the business? (Any horror stories?).

I had a regular pitch at the local car boot sale. One day a bloke turned up near to my spot and wouldn't move. Because he was so close to my slide (and for a quiet life) I decided to pull the slide sideways. Well as I gave it the biggest pull I could muster, it ripped a six foot tear right up the back and underneath. I was gutted!

I have also had a couple of nasty incidents with other people. Once I was threatened by a bloke because he didn't want me trading on the same site as him and he was MEGA big and aggressive. I also had my Quad ring slashed by some moronic teenagers at a quiet village fete.

Favourite type of inflatable?

Easy, A Titanic Giant Slide. I don't have one but it is the one thing I would get for fetes gala's etc. A sure money earner!

Favourite Food? Steak

Favourite TV program? Fawlty Towers, Red Dwarf, League of Gentlemen

Favourite film of all time? ET or The Abyss, pure escapism

Favourite Book?

Must get round to reading one of those, perhaps when I retire!

Favourite 3 hobbies?

I play Super League Darts for Tamworth Town, I keep Koi Carp and am an Aston Villa fanatic.

Favourite motivational quote?

Always buy land, they're not making any more of it! Not so much motivational but clever and true. It was my Granddad who used to tell me that.

Favourite place in the UK? Home

Favourite place in the world? Florida, the people are so friendly.

Favourite musical band? Hootie and the Blowfish. How many of you have heard of them?

Favourite 2 web sites? (Excluding BIHA or your own) http://www.ask.co.uk/  great search engine and http://www.marcthompsonscrapbook.co.uk What a funny man!

Your greatest success and/or achievement?

Loads of dart things. I used to be a qualified class 1 football referee and have met some of the biggest names in the game and refereed on nearly all the midland football grounds.

Have you ever done anything really unusual e.g. parachuting, bungee jump, climbed Everest, met Elvis, played football at Wembley etc. If so what?

I went water-skiing when just a slip of a lad. There was a girl in the power boat who I quite liked. Anyway, at fourteen my balance wasn't brilliant when standing on dry land, let alone on water behind a powerful boat. As the boat got going, I fell headfirst but didn't let go of the handle. Well, my shorts caught in the flow of the water and it wrenched them straight off! The boat circled back to me. Oh the embarrassment. Would you believe, I never tried anything remotely dangerous again.

What do you think is the most important attitude and skill, to succeed in the inflatable hire business?

Politeness and reliability, they're both FREE and there is an unlimited supply for everyone if you need it.

Do you think that there are any needs in this business which are not currently being met?

We need a real type of weather proof set-up which is cheap and sturdy. Also a small castle the can be hired out as many different things. For instance, say a box type that can be a bouncy castle one week, a ball pool the next and a kind of game the next. I have lots of ideas but someone in manufacturing needs to think it through and come up with a good design.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time, in terms of your business?

On a permanent site doing all kinds of children's rides

Do you have any ideas about how the business could be improved?

If you have a really tatty castle destroy it! If you sell to a "cowboy" he will only hire it out and that will eventually bring us all down. The public will associate all of us with c**ppy castles and we mustn't allow that.

What hints and tips do you have (in the inflatable hire business) which members could benefit from? If you are thinking of getting a giant slide, the very best way to move it is on the back of a Luton van fitted with a tail lift. I've watched friends and fellow operators struggle with every conceivable kind of winch or gadget. Believe me the tail lift works best. Don't bother with quad bikes, they can be a REAL pain unless you know lots about motorbikes.

If money and time were no object, what would you like to do in life? Open a theme park twice as big as Alton Towers

Name one thing that you have learnt (or benefited from) as a result of being a member of the BIHA.

Learning that we are not alone. I can tell you now, that if any hirer, anywhere needs advice on the business, I for one, am just a 'phone call away. (01827 373800) The BIHA is the best thing to happen to our business and long may it reign.

If you were starting your inflatable business again from scratch, is there anything that you would do differently? If so what?

I should have started with the smallest castles. Instead I bought the biggest thing out there. The first time we tried to roll it up there were about 8 of us and we couldn't do it. My wife ended up in tears and I was nearly as bad! Now, my 17 year old daughter Katie and I have, on occasion packed the slide away on our own and she's a small girl really.

What do you think is the one "Golden Rule" for success in the inflatable hire business?

Never hire out rubbish, it will kill the game off and always peg your inflatable down.

Thank you Chas for your time in answering these questions for the BIHA newsletter. (Hirer of the Month). I am sure that the members will enjoy reading your answers.

If you would like to be considered for hirer of the month next month, please email me at mark.jerram@ntlworld.com or phone me on 01344 485389.