THE Great Dorset Steam Fair will not be returning next year, its organisers have said.
It will be the third year that the Blandford-based event will not be going ahead after it was put up for sale a year ago with no buyer found.
Despite discussions with interested parties taking place over the past year, the escalation in operating and infrastructure costs remains the underlying issue in making the event “financially unfeasible”.
Steam fair managing director Martin Oliver said: “It’s a great shame but we have been unable to find a way forward.
“With costs still increasing and incredibly high, the Great Dorset Steam Fair would be in excess of £5m to put on next year and remains unviable for us to run it again ourselves.
“We had hoped someone would be willing to take it on after being up for sale for over a year but sadly we have been unable to find a committed buyer willing to take the financial risk of staging this enormous event.”
Last year, bosses cited “eye watering” running costs which had risen by £700k year-on-year as the reason it could not go ahead.
In 2019, it cost £3.5m to run and for 2024, that hcost had been calculated to between £4.7m to £4.9m.
If this year’s event had taken place, ticket prices would have risen by up to 75 per cent. And a spokesman said last November that visitors would find that unaffordable given the cost of living crisis.
Martin added: “I am very much aware that the Great Dorset Steam Fair is greatly missed and that this is not the news the tens of thousands of our supporters were hoping for or us as the organisers.
“We had sincerely hoped that we would be able to offer some positive news but sadly this isn’t to be.
“Nonetheless, please be assured that should circumstances change in the future we will of course let you know.
“As always, my sincere thanks go to everyone for your loyal and past support, it is very much appreciated.”
The steam fair was first held in 1969 in The Royal Oak in Okeford Fitzpaine, north Dorset and until recent years has attracted more than 200,000 visitors.
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