Shropshire Show on course to make a profit

Organisers of the Shropshire Show are on course to make nearly £40,000 in profit this year - despite having had only three months to turn it around.

Roy Dodd - confirmed as chairman of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society at its annual meeting last night - said today that they had enjoyed a wonderful response from the public at last month's show.

He said they were still waiting for the official financial results but the indicators were it was on course to at least break even or even make a small profit.

Mr Dodd - whose rescue package to save the 120-year-old event was accepted by creditors earlier this year - said his predicted £36,700 profit target for the society overall would hopefully be met by the end of its financial year in October.

The former West Mid Show ceased to exist last year after it was hit by financial problems.

But following Mr Dodd's proposal, a Creditors Voluntary Arrangement was put in place to try to pay back creditors who are owed more than £160,000.

Mr Dodd said it had been a very good annual meeting, "predominantly dealing with the past and putting it to bed."

Mr Dodd paid tribute to all members of the society and the volunteers who gave up their time.

He said: "I think one of the comments this year was that we managed to put on a show in about three months when normally you get about 12 months to put it together.

"We have learned some lessons so that next year's show will almost certainly be better but we are very pleased."

They were still waiting for this year's final figures to come in, along with the profits for outside lettings