On Saturday the Brixton Blog reported that Lambeth Council had set revised dates for the Lambeth Country Show following public outcry over its last-minute cancellation. After two weeks of speculation, cllr Florence Nosegbe, cabinet member for culture, sport and the Olympics, tells us why the show is now back on.
In case you are feeling lost, you can read our timeline of events here.
By Cllr Florence Nosegbe
The last few weeks of speculation and debate have demonstrated how much passion there is for the Country Show in Lambeth.
We always said we would make sure there would be a range of other community events and festivals and I’m delighted we are able to propose a smaller-scale event for this year only to take place in September.
The fact that the Olympic Games will be taking place just days after the usual Country Show weekend means costs for heightened security and the lack of available infrastructure means it had to be delayed. Holding an alternative event in September makes it cheaper and safer.
We are speaking to local groups including the Herne Hill Forum and the Friends of Brockwell Park to design a remodelled event for 2012. It’s too early to say exactly what the show will look like but it will be driven by the community groups with the council’s support. I always said we hoped to offer an alternative community-led format this year and I’m delighted we’ve met that promise.
The Country Show will be back to its usual slot in 2013 – and I hope we can build on the increased community involvement we are seeing this year.
We are also making a fund available to help community groups produce local Olympic themed events in the run up to the games as part of the borough’s 2012 celebrations.
Well I think that the decision to keep the show proved the correct one. I certainly enjoyed it and so did my 2.5 year old. The food of course was very poor quality and well overpriced, but you don’t have to buy it do you? And when they handed the hot dog over saying it was £5 I turned it down, wondering if I had been transported instantaneously to suckers corner – next time I asked before ordering, and hey ho the very next van had them for £3.50.
But the stalls were fun, lot’s for kids and all in all very good atmosphere. And the weather was balmy too, what more could one ask for?
Well done to the organizers, and the campagners who overuled the initial cancellation of this event. It was firt one despite living here for 13 years. I hope to make it again next year!
As long as there are owls and Chucklehead I’m in.