The stormy showers didn’t dampen visitor enthusiasm for this year’ Lincolnshire Show, with organisers estimating 60,000 visitors and hailing it “an outstanding result”.
A lively social media feed helped to boost interest, with the Show reporting 4m Twitter hits.
Organisers also reported trade stand bookings up five per cent on 2011, as well as an increased number of livestock and equine competition entries.
For Showground Director Jayne Southall, it was her first year leading the team. She said: “We’ve had a fantastic Show and it’s been wonderful to see everything come together.
“We had a big boost to visitor numbers with the wonderful sunshine on day one, and although numbers were down on Thursday, the showers seemed to do little to dampen enthusiasm and we had a steady flow of visitors arriving throughout the morning.
“The Show has proved itself once again as a major visitor attraction which helps to bring Lincolnshire’s wider visitor and tourism story to a national audience.”
Organisers claim every £1 spent at the Show generates £20 in the local economy. The Show also created demand for 18,400 overnight stays locally.
A ‘Trading in New Markets’ marquee celebrated the successes of Lincolnshire companies trading nationally and internationally.
A group of 30 Australian farmers attended as part of a UK fact-finding mission. Group leader and former State Wool Manager Frank Jones, said: “The Lincolnshire show was a real highlight of our trip, with a huge crowd and brilliant sunshine.”
This year’s Sports Zone encouraged visitors to try their hand at a range of Olympic and Paralympic sports and a thousand young people took part in a Schools Challenge designed to demonstrate understanding of food, farming and agriculture.
For many businesses around the county the Lincolnshire Show gives a chance to showcase products and services. Printing business Systematic of Caistor attends the show every year and Paul Bingham from the company said: “The wet and windy weather meant that business was slow in the morning on the second day but overall this year’s Show has been absolutely phenomenal for us, with some firm enquiries from large companies.”
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