Some traders have decided to leave Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm-Fest early after claiming they were not making any money.
The three-day festival is taking place over the bank holiday weekend across 300 acres at Stoneleigh Park, in Warwickshire, where adult tickets cost £35 for a half-day or £60 for an all-day admission. The festival celebrates skills and produce of Britain’s farmers and combines “the traditional joy of a large country fair with the excitement and energy of a modern music festival”, the venue said.
It has been reported that the music festival and country fair was attended by 20,000 alone on Saturday, with 55,000 visitors expected over the whole weekend. There are 12 arenas across the site, from talks and displays with Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper to live music from Alex James from Blur, 10cc, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and a DJ set by Groove Armada.
View 4 ImagesKaleb Cooper and Jeremy Clarkson were spotted at the event on a golf buggy(Image: cpuk/CelebrityPhotosUK/Cover Images)
It was estimated there were over 400 stalls confirmed for the Bank Holiday event however some stall holders have described their disappointment at having to leave the event early. Business owners have posted tearful videos on social media, with another titling hers ‘what a shambles’.
Korrine Pallas, who owns pet product firm Phoenix Equestrian and Pet Supplies, was one of those who left the festival early. She said Friday was ‘the worst day’s trading we have ever had’. In a video posted onto the company’s TikTok account she said: ‘It has been darn right awful at Farm-Fest.
“When I say it’s not worth getting out of bed for, it’s an understatement. It has been horrific, and I know everyone else is feeling the same and is in the same boat as us.”
View 4 ImagesEven Spudman struggled to make a profit
Korrine updated her followers yesterday in a tearful message where she announced she was leaving a day early, something the company had never done before at a trade show. Holding back tears, she said: “It has been catastrophic for us, and when you are already a small family business in hard times it is heart-wrenching.”
She said they were a ‘few grand down’ and it would cost her £400 to come on Sunday ‘and I haven’t even come near that in the last couple of days’.
Emma, who co-founded pet brand Pops and Coco, said in a TikTok video today that the event was a shambles. She said: There have been a lot of traders who have gone home – lots of traders left last night, particularly dog traders. I would say 90 per cent of traders across the whole showground, whatever they are selling, have either made a loss and they haven’t made their costs back or they are only just making some money now.”
View 4 ImagesKorrine Pallas, who owns pet product firm Phoenix Equestrian and Pet Supplies,said Friday was ‘the worst day’s trading we have ever had’
A spokesman for Jeremy Clarkson’s Great British Farm-Fest told MailOnline: “We have been working closely with traders at The Great British Farm-Fest to provide support during our inaugural weekend. We are surprised that a handful of exhibitors, out of the 400 who attended, left the show within a few hours of the first day without experiencing an event that has attracted over 50,000 visitors.”
The Mirror has reached out for comment.