Plans in place to bring Royal Show back to RASE

The Royal Agricultural Society of England is proposing to reclaim the management of the Royal Show, following an extensive review of its business operations.

For the past two years, a number of RASE events, most notably the Royal Show and technical events such as Cereals, have been managed as part of a joint venture with a company called Haymarket Exhibitions.

But following a review by RASE, prompted by the appointment of John Moverley as RASE chief executive in December 2005, it has been proposed that the majority of these events would benefit from being brought in house.

The decision has been taken against a backdrop of concern about the Royal Show. Visitor numbers to the 2006 event were down 5% and there was discontent among some exhibitors about the general aim and layout of the event.

“We now consider it appropriate that we resume full control of our activities,” said Prof Moverley.

As part of the proposal, RASE would take full control of the Royal Show, Town & Country Festival, Grassland Event and British Pig & Poultry Fair. But Haymarket Exhibitions would assume full ownership of the Cereals Event, incorporating Sprays and Sprayers.

The proposal is still being discussed,but legal teams from both sides are understood to have been discussing details over the last week.

Dominique Gill, managing director of Haymarket Exhibitions’ Land Events, said she believed her team had left the RASE with a firm platform on which to continue building the Royal Show.

“We have spent the last two years refocusing the Royal Show. We’re pleased with progress, especially as both exhibitors and visitors this year reported a far more satisfying outcome – a solid foundation for RASE to build on in the future,” she said.

“Having ownership of Cereals, a premier event for the arable industry, would expand our exhibitions portfolio and enable us to provide it with the further strategic investment it warrants,” she added.

The RASE has stressed that the potential changes would not affect current Society member benefits for all the events, including Cereals, nor would it affect the scheduling or location of the shows. A decision is expected in the coming weeks.