Ten years after its successful launch, Sheffield City Council and UK Events Ltd have announced they will not be continuing with the Sheffield Show in the foreseeable future.

Councillor Gill Furniss, the Council's Cabinet member responsible for Development, Environment and Leisure commented: "There have been many new major outdoor events developed over the last 10 years since the Sheffield Show was reintroduced. Sheffield now has an excellent events programme (including Highland Fling, Mayfest and Sheffield Festival of Transport) and it was felt appropriate to reconsider the future of the Show in view of all these changes."

The popular Sheffield Fayre, previously held in September at Norfolk Heritage Park, will now be held on the vacant August Bank Holiday weekend 29 and 30 August 2004. Gill Furniss added: "We're very grateful for the support given by the traders, entertainers and performers for the Sheffield Show over the years and hope they will continue to support the other events across the city."

ENDS

(Remember where you heard it first... ;) )

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Sorry but I don't think it will be a great loss. It had become reduced to little more than a funfair/market.

The Sheffield Show won't be missed by me either. It is no more than just a money-spinning racket. You have to pay to park, pay to get in and then everthing else has to be paid for when you get inside.

We always go to the Rotherham Show which is not only free to park and get in, but also far more superior.

I might email this link to Councillor Furniss so she can see how popular their move has been :thumbsup:

After seeing Sheffield Fayre last year, Sheffield Show was most certainly on my NOT to do list this year.

I found it too comericalized in comparision.

Did I not mention this? Oops, must have thought it was classified. Geoff, you stole my thunder!

Now you ALL have to attend!

Planning is underway, and it'll be great, I promise. Any questions, etc, feel free to PM me.:D

Cosy:P

Whilst the Sheffield show wasn't the best in the world, it is typical that the only event held on the south side of the city is the one cancelled. EVERYTHING in this city seems biased to other areas, if you want to go to an outdoor civic event when you live in South/Southwest Sheffield it always involves getting 2 buses.

Andy, the Sheffield Fayre, which is taking over the slot, is held in the South of Sheffield - Norfolk Park. Have a look here (http://sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6059) to find out a little more about it and maybe suggest ways of promoting the Forum. This will be the third year of this event, so perhaps the south of Sheffield hasn't been as starved of events as you thought?

Cosy:P

Norfolk Park doesn't really count as South Sheffield! It is just off the city centre, but nowhere near the bus route.

For someone using public transport from Bradway, Low Edges, Greenhill, Totley, Woodseats, Meadowhead, Abbeydale, Dore, Jordanthorpe etc it involves getting a bus into town (Arundel Gate) and then having to change onto either another bus or a tram.

Such an event attracts families, so that is not only a minimum of a fiver in bus fares before you have even got there, but the very difficult journey would make most just think forget it.

So those from our area that do go will go by car, and I doubt Norfolk Park offers a massive car park, so the whole area will descend into gridlock.

Then not bother going next year.

I must stress that this is not an attack on the Sheffield Fayre, as I have heard very good things about it, it's just that anything outside the city centre seems to be either at Hillsborough or Don Valley. And that's not just festival type events - it's things like Ice skating, cinema, bowling, leisure swimming.

All we get at this end of town is ruddy fitness clubs, and now the only big community event has been taken away from us.

It does seem a backwards decision. I agree it was second rate compared to the one in Norfolk Park (we only went as it was free for people living on Charles Ashmore Rd) but couldn't something have been done to improve it rather than just cancel it?

More annoyingly is the fact the sheffield fayre is now on the August bank holiday :(

I went to the Sheffield Fayre because it *WASNT* on the bank holiday, transport is a nightmare and everywhere is packed! It was better on the dates it was before IMO :(

Originally posted by Andy C
Norfolk Park doesn't really count as South Sheffield! It is just off the city centre, but nowhere near the bus route.

For someone using public transport from Bradway, Low Edges, Greenhill, Totley, Woodseats, Meadowhead, Abbeydale, Dore, Jordanthorpe etc it involves getting a bus into town (Arundel Gate) and then having to change onto either another bus or a tram.


Yes, it is South Sheffield.
You could quite easily get a bus from most of those places to anywhere near St Mary's Gate, and walk or jump on a tram (if you're really lazy). I live in Meersbrook, so I'm aware that I can't get a bus straight into the centre of Norfolk Park without going into town, but I also feel that one bus and a 5-10 minute walk isn't too strenuous on the pocket or the legs :).
So far we've managed not to cause gridlock, but it is an issue. Which is why we encourage people to use the really perfectly good public transport system in and out of Norfolk Park.

RPG: sorry to disappoint you, it was a hard decision to make (I liked the September slot myself), but a couple of things affected our decision.
A) a major reason the Fayre exists at all is the horticulture show. The August bank holiday weekend is apparently far better for the exhibitors than September (when everything's starting to go off a bit.) The excellent man who ran it the first two years, Jon Bauer, died suddenly this autumn. It had been his fervent wish to move the show to an earlier slot, so when the opportunity arose, it certainly affected our decision.

B)Because we do not charge an entry fee, we have HUGE difficulties actually making ends meet. Profit? Never heard of it. We are certainly hoping to take advantage of the fact that many many people are used to attending a big Sheffield event on that weekend and will come to us, helping to make all our extremely hard work worth the effort. It also makes SCC happier after all their support.

C)It's quite difficult pulling in market stands, entertainers, etc in September. They tend to be a little bit more reasonable about a date they know works, so with any luck that will help us make the Fayre even better this year.

Sheffield Show: I can't really comment on why it's gone. It had nothing to do with us!
We won't be moving to Graves Park to the sight of Sheffield Show because we have a commitment to Norfolk Heritage Park and to the local community, both of which have supported the Fayre fabulously over the last two years...in fact, there wouldn't be a Sheffield Fayre without the hard work and determination of the community.

It was always going to be a controversial decision, but we're going to put in all our effort to see that it works.:thumbsup:

Cosy:P

Just out of interest, which bus routes is Norfolk Park on? I've been trying to work it out...

I went to Sheffield Fayre there last year, incidentally, and it was a really great day!

But yes I've arranged to meet someone there and I don't know how to get there on the bus...

Cheers!

Number 41, you can catch it at the bus station.

Don't think my Mum and Dad would care too much. 2 years ago they both had exhibits stolen. Dad had his first prize apples and Mum had a flower arrangement knicked. Mum was crying and dad was ****** off and was arguing with the organizers. They weren't the only ones either. One guy camped out all night to protect his prize bonzai tree. They have no security at all.

Originally posted by John
Number 41, you can catch it at the bus station.

Cheers :)

Originally posted by cosywolf
Sheffield Show: I can't really comment on why it's gone. It had nothing to do with us!


I can tell you why the Sheffield Show has died - because Sheffield Fayre has now shown it up for what it is - crap money spinning dross!
Whilst I think all of us are clear that these sort of events need to make money in order to continue - I found there was actually a community spirit at Sheffield Fayre. As opposed to ooooo lets see how much we can get away with charging this year???

I refuse point blank to go to any of those horrendous events in Hillsborough Park which follow in much the same line as Sheffield Show and really do prefer to cart myself and my four kids to the other end of the city so we can all enjoy ourselves!

okay rant over. Don't like hillsborough park events they are sickening. Okay rant really over.

Moon

Originally posted by Funke88
Don't think my Mum and Dad would care too much. 2 years ago they both had exhibits stolen. Dad had his first prize apples and Mum had a flower arrangement knicked. Mum was crying and dad was ****** off and was arguing with the organizers. They weren't the only ones either. One guy camped out all night to protect his prize bonzai tree. They have no security at all.

Sounds like your family had a bad experience, Funke88, and on behalf of the committee I'm sure we're all very sorry that was the case.
We do in fact have security at the Fayre all night and if it's any consolation, we changed security firms last year and as far as I know they did a good job for us.
We're constantly working to make each year better and better.
All the best,

Cosy:P

I know a good security firm that may be able to help you out this year if required!!!:thumbsup:

Originally posted by Mo
Sorry but I don't think it will be a great loss. It had become reduced to little more than a funfair/market.

Since it has been at Graves Park it has been rubbish:mad:

I remember when it was at Hillsborough Park it was great:thumbsup:

I wonder if folks at Hillsborough park have heard about my comments - just had a leaflet through about all those wonderful events they have!! :rolleyes:

Moon