Harrogate Autumn Flower Show will no longer go ahead this year

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The North of England Horticultural Society called off the show, which was to take place from September 18-20 at Newby Hall & Gardens, amid ongoing uncertainty about when the Government’s ban on staging large public gatherings is likely to be lifted.

Show Director Nick Smith said: “Naturally we are very disappointed that 2020 will go down as the year there were no Harrogate Flower Shows to open and close the gardening season, but the safety of our visitors, exhibitors and the wider public must come first.

“As the date of the autumn show draws closer, and in the absence of further guidance from the Government, we wanted to give all of our customers and growers some certainty so that they can make plans for the rest of the season. We hope that 2021 will bring better news for everyone and that Harrogate Flower Shows will come back stronger than ever next April.”

Harrogate Flower Shows have been organised by the North of England Horticultural Society for 100 years. There was a break in the shows during the Second World War, before they were resumed in 1947 and now attract up to 100,000 visitors over two annual events.

The next event will be the 2021 Harrogate Spring Flower Show, which runs from April 22-25 at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

Tickets for the autumn show have not yet gone on general sale, but anyone with bookings made before the Covid-19 lockdown or transferred from the cancelled 2020 spring show will be issued with an automatic refund by the end of July.

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Exhibitors, who purchased stand space at the autumn show, will also be issued with a refund.

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