THE founders of a garden fair set in the award-winning grounds of a Northamptonshire stately home are hoping to double the number of visitors this year.
Cottesbrooke Gardeners’ Fair, as it will now be known, began at Cottesbrooke Hall near Brixworth four years ago, but this year Alastair Macdonald-Buchanan and Therese Lang have launched a new three-year plan to turn the growing event into a nationwide spectacle.
The pair are seeking support from hotels, restaurants and attractions across Northamptonshire to draw in visitors and help other businesses across the county benefit from the three-day fair. Last year the plant fair attracted 7,602 people, more than three times the number in its opening year.
Mr Macdonald-Buchanan, who lives at the 18th-century house, said: “The fair is a huge, very exciting event, but we need to give it a kick and push it a bit harder, and it will be something that all of Northamptonshire can benefit from. The numbers have been increasing over the last four years and more people from outside the county are attending.
“We have been working tirelessly since the event last year addressing every area of our business. We have some of the best plant growers in the county and we want to get that message out there to garden experts, growers and lovers. We want to make this fair a key event in any gardener’s diary. It’s an exciting show that we want to take to the next level. We believe we now run a national event which is unique compared to other garden fairs. We want to bring people in from outside the county and encourage them to stay more than a day, that can only be a good for Northamptonshire and its profile.”
The fair already has links with nearby restaurant The Red Lion in East Haddon, and support from Moulton College, whose staff and students will hold demonstrations at the fair.
Since the fair in June, the team has been working on improving catering facilities, car parking and toilets as well as boosting the fair with more diverse exhibitors and an ‘inspire’ area where garden designers will give advice on how to create your own garden.
A new website, to be re-launched in March, will offer a range of ticket options and a loyalty scheme is also being developed. The event will be held over the three days between Friday June, 22 and Sunday June 24.