Cumberland Show moves to Carlisle Racecourse
Last updated at 12:01, Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Next year’s Cumberland Show will be held at Carlisle Racecourse, it was announced this morning.
Organisers hope up to 20,000 people will attend the event, on Saturday, July 17.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the cancellation of this year’s event, amid flooding fears, led to losses of more than £100,000.
Almost half of that sum was recouped after sponsors and other participants waived their rights to refunds.
The deficit was met out of the show’s reserves fund, as its insurance did not cover cancellation. Organisers say the cover will be changed for future events.
The show has been held at Rickerby Park since 1991, but the last three years have been hampered by wet weather.
The racecourse is considered less prone to flooding and also offers indoor facilities.
Show secretary Donella Rozario said: “We are looking forward to starting a whole new era for the Cumberland Show at Carlisle Racecourse.
“The racecourse has the sort of infrastructure which would never have been available to us at Rickerby Park, where we had to put everything in temporary marquees, bring in toilets and electricity and fence it all off. The racecourse will make things a lot more professional.
“It is a tremendous boost and will inspire us to give the show a new look to match its new location, including a Festival of Farming and Food.”
This year’s show was called off at 5am, just hours before it was due to start after police warned the River Eden might flood the showground.
Mrs Rozario added: “We are still concerned that something similar could happen again down at Rickerby Park because of its location and the wet summers we are now having.
“The site there is surrounded on three sides by the River Eden. We were worried about going back there and about it flooding again.”
Next year’s show will be open from 9am to 6pm.
John Baker, Carlisle Racecourse managing director, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Cumberland Show in 2010.
“It is one of the best-loved annual summer events staged in Cumbria.
“We are looking forward to working with the Cumberland Agricultural Society to develop the show for the future, both in terms of its infrastructure and audience.
“We are sure our facilities here will prove very popular and be ideal for spectators and exhibitors and all the animals being shown in it.”
For further information visit www.cumberlandshow.co.uk
First published at 11:37, Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
Rickerby Park could be vastly improved but it has been left to decay for many years. I am aware that the Council are planning to restore some parts of it, albeit over many years, but perhaps the park also needs to be given some sort of purpose/direction. Capitalise on Hadrians wall, give it some vantage points with artwork and/or historical and natural information, give it better paths, seating areas, plant some more trees, make it more appealing to families and less like walking through a farmers field. It's a great beautiful asset we have here but we just don't make the most of it. I'm sure the Council must have the vision to come up with something, and hopefully the funding - otherwise it is just a farmers field running through a large part of our city.
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Being a frequent visitor when park is dry. I cannot see it ever being on peoples radar of movements without some major attaction.
I do hope the park is retained for some show events. Countryside of Carlisle offers many a venture without being bulled around, scaring them away and avoiding cow platters and unbagged dog turds. Make a focal point of Cenotaph or build a massive water fountain with the Pennines as backdrop... Make it a city public 'memorial' showpark.Posted by Roy Gadsby on 26 November 2009 at 10:47