New Forest Show bosses drawing up plans to cut costs

Organizers say they need to cut the cost of staging the three-day spectacular, which draws more than 85,000 spectators from across the south.

Based at the 230-acre New Park in Brockenhurst, the show uses a number of temporary facilities that have to be hired each year.

The bill for equipping the huge venue has soared in the past few years.

Now, the New Forest Agricultural Show Society has submitted plans to provide permanent toilets and showers as part of a strategy to reduce annual running costs.

A large number of animals are entered in the New Forest Show, which takes place at New Park, Brockenhurst, every July (Image: New Forest Show)

The application says: "Since returning after Covid-19, the cost of building the show has risen by over 20 per cent. This is mainly due to the rising cost of installing temporary infrastructure.

"This rise cannot be sustained and the Society is looking to invest in New Park to lower annual costs and increase non-show income.

"Without this, the future of the show will be put in jeopardy."

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The application cites the "significant" cost of hiring toilets each summer, saying it has risen sharply in the past two years and has become unsustainable.

"The decision has been made by the Society to build permanent facilities which will remove the recurring annual cost.

"This application is part of a larger project and will be followed by four additional applications this year.

"The next application will focus on camping, with a request to extend roadways at Long Meadow and install glamping pods at New Park. It will be followed by an application to build a small educational classroom on the site. Finally, the Society will be applying to extend the site office.

"The future of the New Forest and Hampshire County Show relies on the Society lowering the cost of hosting the event.

"This application, along with the future projects, will ensure this happens and will allow local people to enjoy the show for years to come."

Heavy Horses are among the animals that take part in the show, which was first held in 1920 (Image: Newsquest)

Temporary toilet facilities are provided at six separate locations during the build-up to the show.

"This proposal is to build permanent facilities at three of these locations. These are the locations that see the greatest public demand, due to their position on the showground. In addition to toilets and wash basins, two of the buildings [will] also contain shower facilities."

"In designing these buildings, Pell-Stevens Architects have sought a distinctive but thoroughly sympathetic design, taking into careful account their situation within New Park.

"Their appearance and scale alludes to the simple agricultural buildings commonplace throughout the National Park."

A New Forest Show spokesperson told the Daily Echo: "The planning application we have submitted is for the installation of three permanent toilet blocks on the showground.

"This development aims to reduce the reliance on temporary toilets and showers required annually for the New Forest and Hampshire County Show.

"The addition of permanent facilities is expected to result in substantial cost savings for the show by reducing the recurring expenses associated with hiring temporary units and the rising transport costs.

"Additionally, this improvement will enhance the overall experience and provide accessible amenities.

"The environmental impact of the show will be positively influenced by this change, with fewer delivery vehicles required to transport temporary units each year, there will be a significant reduction in traffic entering the Forest during what is already a peak period for visitors to the New Forest National Park, aligning with our sustainability goals."