Leading outdoor events promoter tells of hopes of return to East of England Showground

Colin Ward, managing director of Live Promotions Events, which represents the popular Truckfest event, said that he had already been in touch with AEPG bosses about a possible return.

He said: “Bringing back Truckfest would be tremendous – a boost for the local economy and welcome news for all the event organisers and public alike.

"We could also bring back the LRO show and fireworks and maybe concerts too.

"I’m more than happy to sit and talk to the appropriate people in relation to this.

Mr Ward said: “I have already emailed AEPG saying l’m happy to meet and talk if need be.

“l think it would be good for everybody.

“It’s a fabulous location. I’d like to do whatever l can do to help.”

He added: “Just before it closed the Showground won the Exhibition News award for the best venue over 8,000 square metres, beating Excel and the NEC.

"I was told that when open, the Showground was generating over £25 million to the local economy.

Mr Ward said: “It would not be difficult to pick up again despite comments to the contrary.

"Promoters pay for such venues which would mean instant proven investment.”

His comments come after it was announced that the East of England Showground Services (SGS), part of the Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG) which has a 20 years lease left on a 50 acre site at the Showground, was looking to return large scale attractions to the venue.

An appeal has gone to the public and businesses to say what entertainments they would like to see at the venue.

Ashley Butterfield, the chief executive of AEPG, said the lease over a section of the Showground ran until August 2046 and it is planned to ‘build on the site’s long-established role as a regional destination for large-scale shows, exhibitions and live events.’

Currently parts of the site are being used for temporary vehicle storage under short-term planning permissions.

Mr Butterfield has said that as the temporary arrangements ended, the land would progressively return to its established leisure and events use in accordance with the existing lease and longstanding planning permissions associated with the Showground.

SGS is currently talking to a number of event promoters, organisers and operators regarding potential shows and exhibitions that could take place at the venue in the future.

How can you say what you would like to see on the Showground?

Ideas and event proposals can be submitted via [email protected]

Further announcements regarding future programming will be made later.

Why were large-scale leisure events dropped in the first place?

For about five decades the East of England Showground was a popular and regular leisure destination for thousands of local people and others from further afield.

Over the years it has staged many major public events, many of which had become firm favourites, such as the annual Truckfest, Antiques Festivals, Festival of Motorcycling, the National Caravan and Motorhomes show, Fireworks Fiesta, music concerts and the annual agricultural show as well as elite speedway racing and an array of exhibitions and conferences.

But times have changed and the venue owner, the East of England Agricultural Society, says attendance at its public events has fallen.

It also says that over the last 10 years many of the open air events staged at the East of England Showground have failed to cover their costs and make a profit.

And they say it is not possible to carry on running the Showground as an events venue which was only being supported to some degree by earnings from investments and land sales.

In a letter to the council, the Society stated its Showground operations failed to make a profit – income minus expenses – in any year from 2010. The worst year was 2013 when its expenses exceeded its income by £1,005,000.

It also shows that in most years even with income from investments and land sales, the Society figures at the end of the year were in the red.

Agricultural Society bosses say selling the Showground will leave the Society to focus on its charitable aims of promoting agriculture, education, and rural life.

It led to plans being drawn up by the Society and its then land promoter AEPG, for a 1,500 homes and leisure village development on the Showground which were rejected last year by Peterborough City Council.

The Society says it is still committed to developing the Showground.

At a glance: Key dates for Showground planning applications:

August 2023: The initial outline planning applications were submitted to Peterborough City Council

October 15, 2024: A nine hour meeting of Peterborough City Council’s planning committee. It was agreed to approve AEPG’s outline planning application for 850 homes and a leisure village, hotel, school and care village. But approval was subject to AEPG agreeing a Section 106 agreement in six months’ time – the first deadline. But councillors rejected AEPG’s second application for 650 homes on an adjoining part of the East of England Showground. This included the area that had been the race track for the popular Peterborough Panthers speedway team.

October 23, 2024: The decision to reject the 650 home was ‘called in’ by three councillors.

January 13, 2025: Meeting of Appeals and Planning Review committee. Councillors overturn earlier refusal for the 650 homes. But they also set a deadline to July 17 for AEPG to agree Section 106 conditions.

April 22, 2025: Request for first extension to deadline for 850 homes outline application. This was approved and set to July 17 – the second deadline – to tie in with the deadline set for the second outline application.

July 16, 2025: Council reveals it is considering a second extension to the deadline, effectively creating a third deadline.

September 11, 2025: Council sets final deadline – the fourth deadline – at September 12 for S106 to be agreed

September 12, 2025: Final deadline is missed.

October 21, 2025: Peterborough City Council’s planning committee refuses permission for two outline planning applications for the East of England Showground