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County show organisers discuss their event plans for 2023

C ounty shows have long been a staple of a rapidly expanding and developing events calendar. Show organisers work hard to find the right balance of tradition and innovation, blending the old with the new, satisfying loyal audiences and stakeholder expectations with the needs and desires of a new generation of visitors.

It is certainly hard to try and please everyone and appeal to both traditionalists and those seeking something new. For years, show organisers have made huge efforts to develop their annual events whilst balancing budgets. This year, that task is even more difficult as rising production costs and the cost-of-living crisis hamper efforts to keep ticket prices affordable for a family-friendly demographic.

Corrie Ince, show director of the South of England Show (June 9-11), is marketing the West Sussex event through a broader mix of media and is trying to keep ticket price increases as low as possible. The event did not take place in 2021. Therefore, last year’s event provided Ince and her team with an opportunity to “re-introduce” show elements that had been missing since the pandemic. She explained: “Since the cancellation of the show in 2020, we have focused on taking the show back to its roots as an agricultural show. We wanted to focus on why the show existed in the first place and remove any of the costly additions that had been added to the show over the years, which had possibly distracted from the real purpose of the show. When surveyed, our visitors say that livestock is the most popular part of the show.”

She continued: “The cost-of-living crisis is having a two-fold effect on shows with visitors being more careful on where they spend their money, so having to decide whether they feel they can come to the show or not. Secondly, when they come to the show, they tend to be spending less with the trade stands. This is not great for our trade exhibitors, but also affects their decisions as to whether they continue to exhibit at shows.”

Financially Viable

One of the largest challenges facing the South of England Show is an inevitable increase in costs, with the average increase going up between 10 – 20 per cent. Ince feels that the event can only really increase charges for tickets, membership, and trade stands between three and five per cent. Ince and her team have reviewed all supplier contracts and believes that many shows are going to find 2023 “an extremely difficult year”.

This will be a common thread for many county show organisers. James Cox, show secretary of Dorset County Show (September 2-3), was appointed in November 2022. He joins the Dorchester Agricultural Society with a background in agriculture and event management from the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show and Royal Bath and West Show. Furthermore, he has volunteered at Dorset County Show since the age of 13. He knows the Dorset County Show well. Therefore, he has not wasted any time putting his own stamp on the annual event, such as tendering all event contracts and making sure that the show works with contractors that have event experience.

Since his appointment, he has instigated a review of all contracts too. Similarly, he has worked with the organising team to look at ticket pricing, site layout, trader sales, and a refreshed marketing strategy, including greater spending on Dorset-based media, print media, and social media.

“Costs have gone up considerably,” he said. “We have looked at our marketing because to counteract costs you must attract more people to your show. You must get more people in rather than put your ticket prices up.

“The site layout is also changing considerably,” Cox continued. “Previously, we had a massive area full of trade stands, but we needed people to go in that area and put attractions in there to encourage people to go in. Now, we are spreading our traders across the site. Visitors will find themselves in shopping areas without even knowing it.”

This move not only vastly reduces entertainment costs but also enables Cox and his team to introduce different pitch prices for traders. Cox stated that there are not as many big companies that exhibit, so the sales and marketing team is looking at marketing the show to smaller traders, local crafters, and “more Dorsetbased businesses”.

Cox believes that appealing to smaller businesses and local companies – rather than focusing all efforts on big businesses – helps the Dorset County Show to be more financially viable.

Costs And Volunteers

Similarly, Diana Walton, show manager of the Hanbury Countryside Show (July 1), says that running a community show like Hanbury requires the “meticulous monitoring of costs”. To save more money, the show is producing all its schedules online because of escalating print and production costs. Yet, it’s not the show’s only challenge.

Walton explained: “Year on year, the challenge is to find volunteers – we need more than 300 of them ideally. Volunteers are at the very heart of our show, many of them having long-standing family connections over generations, and all passionate, particularly as they know we make donations to local charities and other worthwhile causes. Following the pandemic, we are re-forging links with our local schools, groups, and businesses, communicating with them earlier on in the year. We are very encouraged by their positive response and determination to make the show the best it can be, and we are hoping to provide a briefing evening, with a thank you supper for them at the start of show week.”

In 2022, Walton and her team worked with the local council’s Highways team and signage contractor to implement a new traffic management plan. It made such a difference that Hanbury Countryside Show is taking the same model forward for 2023. But that’s not the only change. In 2022, it became apparent that the show would benefit from the agriculture and equine areas being more entwined; this is being addressed this year with a new layout. And the show’s organiser is also working with the local community to lobby the area’s telecoms provider to provide a local mast to improve telephone signals and Wi-Fi connections, especially as traders wish to process transactions.

Flexibility

Like Cox, Nikki Dorkings, general manager at Kent County Showground, and show manager of Kent County Show (July 7-9), has introduced changes to trade stands. This year, the show is trialling a new package for new businesses and start-ups, offering trade stands at a cheaper price point to encourage local businesses to exhibit at the show. Plus, the show has opted to work with Showing Scene, the show management platform, to make trade stand bookings and competition entries less “manually intense”.

Kent County Show attracts 75,000 visitors and is run by a 250-strong volunteer army. This year, the event is looking at introducing an app, and more sheltered seating areas, and Dorkings has introduced new ticketing policies too. Previously, visitors would purchase a ticket for a specific show day. Now, visitors purchase a ticket which allows them entry on any of the show’s three days. Dorkings believes that this new move gives customers flexibility. She is working with TICKETsrv on the new ticketing policy; and has appointed new suppliers, including RS Events and Traffic Management, Entertee, MET Medical, Roadphone NRB, Power Logistics, and Rightguard Security. Furthermore, instead of appointing one marquee supplier, Dorkings has had to appoint three because marquees are “difficult to get hold of”. Therefore, Danco, Cobham Marquees, and Trapeze Marquees have been appointed to supply equipment and services.

New Outlook

Dorset County Show has contracted OT Electrical, Danco, TICKETsrv and Showing Scene too whilst Kerry Robson, show secretary of Northumberland County Show (May 27), has appointed DCRS, Fletchers Marquees, Border Loos, and Sound Broadcast UK to the one-day show.

Robson has worked on the show for more than six years and was promoted to the show’s main organiser role in September 2022. She wasted no time in making changes. The show now has a new website, a new logo, and staff have new uniforms. Plus, she is delivering changes thanks to a new outlook, as there’s a desire to keep tradition alive but also bring new people through the door. Sue Thompson is press, sponsorship, and marketing officer at Northumberland

County Show. She explained: “Our one-day event has traditionally taken place on the bank holiday. Last year, we had the Jubilee celebrations so ended up with a Friday show. We found that our exhibitors and traders valued the opportunity to set up their stands during the week, break down on the weekend and still have a day off. So, after hundreds of years, we have changed our show day to a Saturday, and it has been well received.”

Northumberland County Show wishes to engage younger consumers and wants to do more outreach. Therefore, on the Thursday before the show, it has made the decision to use one of the show’s marquees for a farm education day, inviting 500 local children and strengthening the connection between town and country. Robson and her team are also trialling a game fair area to reflect rural pursuits in the show’s offer. Furthermore, there are big plans for some “major moves” in 2024, including bigger arenas and an improved members marquee.

Ticket Prices

Like Robson, Lisa Moore has considerable county show experience and has recently taken on a new role at Devon County Show (May 18-20). Moore has stepped up from assistant show manager to lead the team as acting show manager. She wants the show to return to its “pre-pandemic glory” and that requires both creativity and investment, which the Devon County Agricultural Association is providing.

In 2022, Devon County Show took place in July. Thanks to COVID, the show moved away from using large marquees. Now that the show has moved back to its original May slot in the calendar, large marquees are required once more, especially as exhibitors are keen to get out onto the circuit after a long winter.

Devon County Show is one of the first major agricultural events in the calendar. To encourage people to visit the event, the show’s organising team has for the first time introduced two tiers of advance ticket pricing. Moore said: “The cost-ofliving crisis is naturally going to affect all shows going forward. But equally, we are confident that people will always need a break from the bad news and will take advantage of the ticket prices that, if they buy in advance, have not changed from last year.”

David Tite, chairman of the Association of Show and Agricultural Associations (ASAO), and chief executive of

Driffield Agricultural Society, argued that “excellent support” in 2022 from the British public and exhibitors had meant many county shows were reborn. However, 2023 is full of new challenges. He said: “There have been many changes in the administrative roles within many shows, add this to the marked increase in costs from suppliers and a shortage of staff in the support sector, and the outlook for 2023 is not as easy as one would hope. With the cost-of-living challenges for everyone, the setting of admission charges for shows is a very important figure to evaluate for all concerned.”

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