Shrewsbury Flower Show hoping for bumper crowds

Saturday 13th August 2011, 10:42AM BST.

Exhibits inside the marquee at the Shrewsbury Flower Show

Shrewsbury Flower Show organisers said they were hopeful of a bumper attendance today on the final day of this year’s extravaganza.

Officials said they were happy with visitor numbers yesterday.

Peter Road-Night, show secretary, said the 124th annual event had got off to a great start and said they were hoping the weather would stay dry to encourage more people to visit today.

He said: “On average we get 60 per cent of visitors coming on the Saturday and if we get 50,000 over the weekend we will be very happy.

“We are confident the weather will be on our side and we have some great attractions again.”

A spectacular fireworks display brought yesterday’s first day to a close with visitors watching in awe as the night sky was turned into a blaze of colour.

Italian TV chef Gino D’Acampo was a big hit with visitors yesterday – even setting hearts a-flutter when he treated one lucky lady to a kiss during a cooking demonstration. He was also dishing out hugs and even got people to sing.

The heart-throb was asked by one cheeky visitor if he would marry them, while another asked for his phone number. Speaking after his cooking demonstrations yesterday he said he was full of admiration for the people of Shropshire.

He said: “I had a lot of questions, most of them were nothing to do with cooking. The people here are very warm, very friendly and they play with you, they are very playful and I like that.”

Shropshire soldiers Kim Hughes and Ricky Furgusson were honoured at yesterday’s show after receiving the prestigious Captain Webb Medal.

The pair were also made life members of Shropshire Horticultural Society.

l Round-up – See Pages 6&7

View more: Shrewsbury Flower Show news.

1
Terry Spruce

August 14, 2011 at 23:47

It is a pity that after organising a main arena show that the majority of those in the seating area simply could not see the event. The poor seating arrangements and the selfish individuals standing in the aisle completely blocked the view of anyone sitting in all but the first few rows. Security did make one futile attempt by asking people to clear the aisles but this was quickly ignored. Perhaps the answer is large screens so that spectators can watch the action which most major concerts and sporting events employ. On travel arrangements no publicity was given on the show website or in its publicity literature that the Park & Ride was running later than normal. My verdict ” could do better!”

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