Review of 2012: Rain devastates show season
As 2012 draws to a close we take a look at some of the events that marked the year. It wasn’t just yields that were hit by the rain in 2012 some of the country’s best-loved rural events were forced to cancel thanks to the rain.
Wet weather cost the rural economy more than £240m after a string of countryside events were cancelled – including the CLA Game Fair.
Due to be held at Belvoir Castle, some £82m was expected to be spent during the three days of the Game Fair, with £34m due to be spent in the local economy by 140,000 visitors, according to estimates from the Country Land and Business Association.
A further £30m was estimated to be lost in the cancellation of the Badminton Horse Trials, with £4.5m lost from the Great Yorkshire Show after it was cancelled on the first day and £5m lost after the Suffolk Show was cancelled on the second day.
Dozens of other agricultural shows and rural events were also cancelled far and wide due to the weather.
They included the Yealmpton Show (Devon), the Fettercairn Farmers’ Club Show (Aberdeenshire) and the North Wales Show (Caernarfon).
See our interactive weather map for a breakdown of how your region fared in 2012