Joe GallopThe South of England Event Centre welcomed 32,000 guests to the South of England Show from 11-13 June, making it one of the region’s largest shows in the past 15 months.
Organised by the South of England Agricultural Society, the event ran at a half capacity and was able to go ahead after organisers worked closely with local authorities, adhered to government guidelines and the venue was classified as a ‘Good to Go’ by Visit England.
Tickets were only available to buy online in advance, social distancing measures were maintained throughout the 605,000sqm venue, facecoverings were mandatory inside, and there were increased hand washing and sanitising facilities.
South of England Event Centre events manager Konge Hussein said certain elements of the show had to be adapted from previous years to accommodate safety restrictions but many remained the same, including showjumping and livestock parades.
She said, “Being able to safely and securely host one of the largest outdoor events in the UK this year was no mean feat. We had to make sure Covid safety measures were in place and strictly adhered to and ensure the health and safety of our visitors and staff.
“All the while we were also under the spotlight of the whole events industry who were watching to see how it would prevail. Being able to stage this event showcases that exhibitions, fayres and large events, are still able to proceed if they are done responsibly.”