It’s nearly Balmoral Show time again
LOOK out the window. The Spring flowers are in bloom and the trees are coming into leaf. April is here and Balmoral Show is only a few weeks away.
This year’s event will, once again, be called the ‘Ulster Bank Balmoral Show’. It’s very much a case of ‘hats off’ to both the RUAS and the bank for striking this innovative sponsorship deal. It provides a welcome increase in financial support for the show for a substantial period of time. This year’s Balmoral will again provide a unique showcase for many companies in Northern Ireland providing new and exciting food products to the highest standards!
So it really is a case of Balmoral going from strength to strength. Last year the show featured prominently in the top ten of public events held in Northern Ireland. What’s more, visitor numbers for the event continue to exceed 70,000.
But analysis of recent show attendance figures have also identified some extremely interesting trends, which give genuine hope that Balmoral is starting to achieve the objectives set out for it by the RUAS.
Approximately, 19% of the people coming through the gates of the show were first time visitors; 18% were from the greater Belfast area; 34% were family groups and 45% came from a rural area but had no direct ties with farming. All of this is encouraging news for the Society, which remains committed to developing Balmoral Show into a truly all-island event. At some stage in the future this may well entail moving the event to another event. Let’s just hope that all of this can be built on if the show moves to the Maze in 2013!
There’s no need to dwell on the current financial downturn, which seems to be impacting on every aspect of our society at the present time. The reality is that farming in Northern Ireland needs a good year. The industry also requires all the support it can get from the public at large. Balmoral Show is the vehicle which will allow this to happen. All we need now is some decent weather for the third week in May!
RICHARD HALLERON
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Weather for Belfast
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North west
