Rich harvest beckons for Highland Show

Published on Thursday 10 June 2010 19:55

SCOTLAND'S major agricultural showpiece looks set to reverse the current economic trend by celebrating its most successful year ever.

• Una the calf has an ice-cream in 2009. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Advance ticket sales are well ahead of those for last year's record-breaking Royal Highland Show, which was by far the most successful in the event's 169-year history.

Organisers are already having to turn away exhibitors and traders from this year's show, which will be the 50th to be held at its current home at Ingliston, Edinburgh.

Show manager David Dunsmuir said: "Over the last couple of years we have focused on communicating what's at the show over and above cows and combine harvesters, and it's working.

"We are confident that the new visitors who came to the show last year will come back and this time bring their friends."

Tom Buchanan, the city council's economic development leader, said: "These figures clearly show a returning confidence to the agricultural sector, which is of such vital importance to both the local and Scottish economy."

Last year's final attendance of 176,522 was 9 per cent up on the previous record, set in 2006.

Advance ticket sales this year are running some 10 per cent of where they were at the same point in 2009.

Crowd numbers were thought to have been boosted last year by a large number of visitors lured in by a marketing campaign that promoted the show under the Year of Homecoming banner.

Although organisers point out that attendance is often affected by the weather over the four days of the event, they say they are quietly confident of another bumper year.

More than 25,000 youngsters took advantage of a free admission offer in 2009, which will be repeated again this year.

Officials at the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, which has organised the event since its inception in 1822, say the show's success shows how the industry is withstanding the recession.

More than 300,000 people are employed via the farm, rural, food and drink sectors, with one in ten Scottish jobs said to be dependent on agriculture.

Delegates are expected from up to 30 countries outwith the UK this year, including a large contingent of farmers from Norway and a group from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, in Texas.

Among the attractions at this year's event will be Scottish chefs Lady Claire Macdonald, Tony Borthwick and Tom Lewis, a photography exhibition of the winners from the first Ingliston event in 1960, a new sustainable garden feature, and a real ale bar showcasing beers from independent Scottish breweries.

Mr Dunsmuir added: "We are regarded as the UK's main event for agri-business right through the chain of production. All of the leading manufacturers, distributors, food multiples and trade organisations are present, and we can anticipate firm sales of machinery, product launches, agreement on supply contracts, deals for technology and genetics.

"The key players in an industry worth billions make a point of being at an event which for four days is the focus for the sector."

Banking giant RBS remains the main sponsor of the event.