Some of the 400 stall holders are not happy
Some traders have opted to leave Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm-Fest early, citing poor sales as the reason for an early departure. The three-day event is being held over the bank holiday weekend at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, spanning 300 acres.
Adult tickets are priced at £35 for half-day entry or £60 for all-day admission. The festival showcases the talents and produce of British farmers, blending “the traditional joy of a large country fair with the excitement and energy of a modern music festival”, according to organisers.
It has been reported that Saturday alone saw 20,000 attendees, with total visitor numbers expected to reach 55,000 across the whole weekend. The site features 12 arenas, hosting everything from talks and demonstrations with Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper to live performances from Alex James of Blur, 10cc, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and a DJ set from Groove Armada.
But although over 400 stalls were reportedly confirmed for the Bank Holiday event, some stallholders have described their disappointment at having to leave the event early. Business owners have shared emotional videos on social media, with one titling hers as ‘what a shambles’, reports the Mirror.
Korrine Pallas, who owns pet product company Phoenix Equestrian and Pet Supplies, was among those who left early. She described Friday as ‘the worst day’s trading we have ever had’. In a video uploaded to the company’s TikTok account, she stated: ‘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.”
Korrine updated her followers in a tearful message, announcing she was departing a day ahead of schedule — something the company had never previously done at a trade show. Struggling to hold 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 revealed they were ‘a few grand down’, adding that it would cost her £400 to attend on Sunday ‘and I haven’t even come near that in the last couple of days’.
Emma, co-founder of pet brand Pops and Coco, described the event as a shambles in a TikTok video. 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.”
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.”
