Investment boost for Lincolnshire venue
Lincolnshire Agricultural Society has announced that it will be making further investment in its major conference and events centre on the Showground site at Grange de Lings.
As the Showground makes ready for the annual County Show on 22nd-23rd June, the Society has confirmed it will be releasing investment funds to support the Show itself, as well as for its EPIC Conference Centre, a purpose-designed showcase of environmental building technologies.
The Lincolnshire Show is the major food and farming showcase event in the Societys calendar, and whilst it attracts crowds of up to 70,000 and generates a significant economic impact on the local economy, it is not an income generator in itself. Its costs are supported by the commercial income-generating conference and events arm, which was developed to fund all the Societys educational activities.
The Lincolnshire Events Centre on the Showground is now recognised as a major national conference venue, hosting events for up to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space. Since the EPIC Centre opened in 2009 it has brought a host of new events to the Showground which include antiques fairs, the BMF motorbike show and summer concerts, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year.
The Society will be realising funds from the sale of 70 acres of farmland bought in 1990 with two fields which border Burton Road earmarked for disposal. The fields comprise farmland and were bought as an investment and do not form part of the Societys masterplan for the Showground.
Adjoining land bought at the same time which provides for future development on the Showground site and is home to the two very successful annual Point to Point meetings, is being retained.
Land prices are at an all time high, so the Board of Trustees have agreed its the right time to sell, to maximise the levels of funds that go back into the fabric of the Showground, said the Society Treasurer, Jane Hiles. Its not an easy decision for a Board with farming blood to sell farmland, but we are sure this is the right decision, as it is exactly what this land was bought for.
Chief executive Mark Farmer said: With economic conditions remaining difficult, we want some stability to continue to grow the business and whilst weve made major savings through efficiencies in both the Events side of the business and on the Show, to go further would affect the character of the Lincolnshire Show itself.
Releasing this investment back into the business will help preserve this great County institution for the future. The Lincolnshire Show cannot stand still, we need to keep investing in it to ensure it is attractive to all of our visitors from both city and countryside.
He added: Advance ticket sales for this year are looking promising; the livestock and equine entries are doing well; and the bookings for trade stands are exceptional, with many more traders booked than in 2010.
Local agents J H Walter will be handling the sale of the farmland.
Lincolnshire Events Centre is a major national conferencing venue, home of the Lincolnshire Show and the groundbreaking EPIC project. Just outside the historic city of Lincoln, the Centre hosts events for 10 to 10,000 visitors on its 200 acre showground site and 3000 square metres of indoor exhibition and venue space.
Outdoor events include the flagship Lincolnshire Show, antiques fairs and horse trials, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year. Under cover, there are exhibition halls and conferencing facilities, including the recently completed EPIC centre, the second largest purpose-designed showcase for environmental technologies in the UK, it enables event organisers to reduce, monitor and offset their carbon footprint.