Creative belles easily alarmed

Creativity in all its forms should have been embraced at The Creative Show, which took place at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls last week.

But when Tony Stone Images demonstrated its yearning for creativity, it got firmly stamped on. “We felt like naughty children,” says a chastised spokeswoman.

The photographic agency spent 500 hiring an enormous bell and hammer device reminiscent of an old-fashioned fairground attraction, which passers-by were encouraged to activate.

“I suppose it was quite raucous,” admits the spokeswoman, and a show attendee confirms that neighbouring stands were quite deafened. So Tony Stone employees got severely ticked off.

“We felt we had to wear suits and keep our hands behind our backs like schoolkids,” says the spokeswoman.

The agency did ring the bell for 20 minutes on the final day, but had to wait until after 4pm, whereupon the entire show joined in.