Royal Lancs Show faces 'uncertain future'

7:50pm Friday 18th July 2008

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THE Royal Lancashire Show faces an uncertain future after the event was cancelled for the second year in a row.

Organisers of the three-day event at the Duke of Lancaster Park, Billsborrow, near Garstang, took the decision today to close the show to the public after days of heavy rain.

And show chiefs said talks would begin in the next few weeks to see if the event could be staged again in future.

The decision to cancel the Royal Lancashire Show – the oldest agricultural show in the country – was taken amid health and safety fears relating to waterlogged car parking areas which could have become dangerous for visitors.

A spokesman for the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society said: “It has been decided not to continue the show. It is a devastating blow.

“It is too early to make a decision on next year’s show.

"Hopefully we will be here next year and an investigation into the ramifications of what has happened will be launched.

“Because of health and safety worries about park-ing we have decided to cancel.”

The show was scheduled to run from Friday until Sunday and expected to bring in 50,000 visitors.

Initially, the public were barred from entering the showground for the first day.

However, organisers then took the decision to cancel the entire event because of the poor weather.

Judging was still being carried out for livestock exhibitors who were on the site when the decision was made to cancel the show this morning.

Any livestock exhibitors arriving at the site after the cancellation were turned away.

A number of exhibitors in the equine classes were still able to compete, but with no spectators there to watch.

This was the first year that the event had been held at the Billsborrow site and follows on from the cancellation of the 2007 show which was due to be held at Salesbury Hall, Ribchester.

Last year’s show was called off amid similar health and safety fears caused by heavy rain in the run up to the show.

Does this spell the end for the event? Add your comments below.