No-show hits hard

Falling crowds threaten Launceston event

THE State Government has no plans to change the state’s show public holidays despite a drop in the popularity of the Royal Launceston Show.

Franklin MP Nic Street said public holidays were enjoyed by thousands across the state and would not be changed.

He spoke as speculation about the future of the Royal Launceston Show grows.

Attendance at the show has dropped to 8000 people a year — compared with Agfest, which attracts 50,000-60,000 patrons a year.

Under the Statutory Holidays Act 2000, Tasmania has 10 public holidays a year: New Years Day, Australia Day, Eight Hours Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and Royal Hobart Regatta (South) and Recreation Day (North).

Royal Hobart Regatta president Geoff Lucas said the event had been affected by people going away for long weekends.

“What do people do on a long weekend, they jump on a plane and go away,” he said.

Mr Lucas said the Regatta holiday in early February was likely to remain because Regatta weekend was shared by the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and the Hobart Cup.

He said crowds had dropped from 80,000 in 1955 to about 35,000.

Launceston Chamber of Commerce chief executive Neil Grose said the success of the Royal Launceston Show was irrelevant as to whether a holiday was taken.

“It is a gazetted holiday so it would be a cost on business whichever day it was transferred to,” he said.

Royal Launceston Show Society president Jock Gibson yesterday called for northern Tasmanian residents to support the event or risk losing it.

Falling attendances have affected the show’s financial position to the point that without a bumper crowd this weekend, it will no longer be viable.

Show society president Jock Gibson said it was a difficult situation but spiralling costs were crippling the event.

“It’s not good and there’s every chance that if we don’t get enough people this year that could be it,” he said.

The show started yesterday and continues today and tomorrow. Mr Gibson said to be viable the show needed annual crowds of about 12,000-15,000. But in recent years crowd numbers have dwindled to about 8000.

Mr Gibson said a lack of infrastructure at the Inveresk site was pushing up costs.

“Our venue makes it very difficult because we don’t have many exhibition buildings, everything has to be out in the open so we have big costs like temporary fencing and security, so that all adds up,” he said.

“It’s also getting hard to run a show like this because of extra compliance issues now.”

The planned UTAS development at the Inveresk site means the show would have to relocate after next year.

Mr Gibson said any relocation would come at a significant cost and would not be viable unless the show received more support from the public.

He said getting more people

through the gates was a challenge. challenge “I think one of the biggest problems is that people have so many other entertainment options now, and we’re competing with all of them,” he said.

Unlike small regional shows run by volunteers, Mr Gibson said running a larger event and managing the site over the year required paid staff.

Tasmanian Agricultural Shows president Simone Salter said shows were competing against other events, such as Dark Mofo, and this made attracting people more difficult.