From Alan Robinson, Chairman, Wirral Show Joint Committee:-

THE Wirral Show Committee has no objection to any person making their views known about the Wirral Show. However, your headline Why Rip Us Off? (Mailbox, last week) gave a meaning to Mr Gilmore's comments that I am sure he did not intend.

We can assure Mr Gilmore that the prices charged by caterers are not set by the Wirral Show Committee, but we do insist that caterers charge no more at the Wirral Show than they do at other shows around the country.

Indeed, if Mr Gilmore compared the prices charged at the Wirral Show to the prices charged at Alton Towers, Camelot and other commercial theme parks, he would find the Wirral Show prices to be very reasonable.

The arena events and other entertainments staged at the Wirral Show are paid for by the site fees charged to traders and caterers. As the season is very short, the prices have to be more than local shop prices to ensure that the traders can make a living. If the weather is bad, they very often trade at a loss.

The economics of putting on a 'free to enter' Show are more complex than Mr Gilmore's figures indicate. The Wirral Show Committee publishes the average prices of food and soft drinks in the free Show programme and gives these details for publication in the local press.

Everybody attending the Show should have been aware of the prices. We always bear in mind that many people in Wirral are not employed and have limited means. We, therefore, look at all avenues to keep the Show free to enter. If Mr Gilmore has any suggestions that can help with this aim, we would be pleased to hear from him.

It is always open to families to fetch a picnic down to the Show and enjoy the acts and atmosphere without purchasing anything. The Wirral Show is now used by companies to promote new brands and this year Nestle was giving away free chocolate bars. Last year, PG Tea was giving away free cups of tea and Walls were giving free cooked sausages to promote their new products.

It was perfectly possible for Mr Gilmore to take advantage of these offers when available and he could enjoy free food and refreshment, as well as free entertainment!

I hope this letter gives some assurance to our Show visitors that they are not being 'ripped off' and that the Show gives good value to the people of Wirral.

Any profits made by the Show Committee are distributed back to good causes and charities in the local community.

The Committee remains concerned that a respected local newspaper should put such a negative slant on a letter which was probably only meant to be helpful and hopes that the Wirral people understand the realities of financing our popular Summer spectacular and supports us for our 24th Millennium Show on the weekend of July 8 and 9, 2000.

Address supplied.

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