Fury as Shrewsbury 80s festival to 'clash' with Shropshire County Show
Organisers of one of Shropshire's longest-established annual shows are disappointed that council bosses have booked a music event to take place on the same weekend.
The Shropshire County Show will take place at the West Mid Showground in Shrewsbury, where it has been held for the past 140 years, on May 27.
But another event – a retro music festival – will be staged in the town on the same day.
Ian Bebbington, director of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society, said: "The trustees of the show are extremely disappointed that Shrewsbury Town Council has decided to make The Quarry available for another major event on the same day, and we have written to the town council to ask why such little consideration has been given to our existing major event and the logistics of how things are going to work.
"In recent years the show has always been held on the May Bank Holiday weekend, so for the town council to agree to host another large event on the same day is very disappointing.
"Clearly the infrastructure of Shrewsbury will be under pressure on that day, and we will do everything we can to make entry and exit to the showground as smooth as possible."
Mr Bebbington said the organising committee were pulling out all the stops to provide the perfect blend of family entertainment and traditional agricultural displays.
He added: "The Shropshire County Show is very much a community event, and we very much hope the farming community and everyone else in Shropshire will come together as always to help make the show another great success."
Helen Ball, town clerk for Shrewsbury Town Council said: "Bank holiday weekends are times when both residents and visitors to Shrewsbury are looking for a variety of activities to take part in.
"During the August bank holiday weekend last year, the folk festival, fake festival and the steam rally provided a varied offer and the town's infrastructure to support these events worked well.
"In allowing the Quarry to be used for a Retro Concert during the May bank holiday period, the town council believes that having two very different events, which attract very different audiences can complement rather than conflict as has been suggested."
