Albury Show stalwart Alan Crome casts doubt on future of event

One Sydney-based exhibitor whose stock was severely water damaged at last year's show has pulled out of the event this year over concerns the same thing would happen at the show this November.

But Albury Show stalwart Alan Crome believes more might pull out if buildings aren't maintained to an acceptable standard.

Mr Crome said the Albury Showground Land Manager Board had focused on improving the lucrative camping facilities on the ground to the detriment of the maintenance of vital show infrastructure.

Mr Crome, a former secretary of the Albury Show Trust and of the Albury Show Society, said the current board's priorities "threatened the spirit of the show" and might reduce it to a simple fun fair rather than a showcase of community arts and crafts.

"I hold very grave concerns because our show looks like it is going to be cancelled down the road due to the lack of maintenance," Mr Crome said.

"The only facilities that they've upgraded are for the benefit of campers. They've taken a third of the showground that the society uses normally for their show and turned it into a caravan park area.

"They put in new toilet blocks that are supposedly for the general public, but these are often locked, with access only to campers - you've got to have a camping reservation to use those facilities.

"There's three major pavilions that that have been used for years, one is the arts and crafts pavilion which houses all the school entries, the cooking entries, sewing entries that can't be used anymore because it's way beyond repair due to a lack of maintenance over the years."

Mr Crome said he had rejoined the Albury Show Society committee after quitting when he was diagnosed with cancer that meant his time was consumed with his treatments.

"Now that I'm back on deck, I'm hearing the showground trustees have told the show society they will not be able to use certain pavilions because one is white ant damaged and the other two have got roof leaks."

Mr Crome said a white ant infestation was identified at the JJ Wright Hall two years ago and severe water leaks at the Jelbart Pavilion had scared away some exhibitors after indoor water damage last year's event.

Hibod Massage Chairs Australia director David Haq confirmed his Sydney company would not be displaying their wares at this year's show.

"We had some serious damage done to some of our stock and when we tried to claim compensation they (Albury Showground Land Manager Board) just palmed us off and they're still doing that," Mr Haq said.

"We can't claim our own insurance because the stock is off our premises - the trust put us on to a government department which told us it's not their responsibility so we just gave up.

"So I don't know who's responsible for that building, somebody should have insurance on that, it's our product in the space that we rented for the show.

"We won't be showing there this year or ever again, it's just not acceptable the way they've treated us, so we'll go elsewhere.

"They should have some sort of insurance in place where it's caused by negligence or whatever, because it's a property that's got to be maintained by someone so that exhibitors are assured their products will be safe."

Albury Show Society president Wal Blezard said he was confident this year's show would be a "great spectacle as usual", but said it would be "slightly diminished".

"We don't get much co-operation (from the trust), put it that way," Mr Blezard said. "We'll have to put a lot of displays in the Jelbart Pavilion because most of this building (JJ Wright Hall) can't be used and it won't fit into the space that can be used.

"It's a great money spinner, the caravan side of it. I think they're making a concession to the Show Society, in the sense that they're going to close down camping in one section for a bit over a week. before, during and after the show.

"From my point of view, as a trustee, to try to get some action you can get a motion passed at a meeting but getting some action on that..."

When asked why money generated from the camping ground wasn't funnelled through to regular maintenance, Mr Blezard said: "I can't answer the question. It ought to be."

After The Border Mail contacted the office of the Albury Showground Land Manager Board to seek comment from chairman Henk van de Ven whose phone rang unanswered, secretary Suzi Hardwick released a statement on behalf of the board.

"The Albury Showgrounds are managed by a volunteer Crown Land Manager Board, comprising interested community members and representatives of showground user groups," the statement said.

"The showgrounds are used by a number of organisations for dozens of different purposes.

"Camping at the showground is a significant contributor towards the Crown land manager's annual income.

"This income is used towards the maintenance of all buildings on the showground.

"Recently significant expenditure was required at the camping area in order to keep it compliant and thus sustaining the income.

"All works on the grounds are prioritised by the board, which includes members of the Show Society and the board welcomes any additional volunteer assistance from user groups and community members."

In 2018, an Albury Showground Master Plan was presented to Albury Council.

The plan said key considerations were ageing infrastructure and site conditions.

"Many buildings are no longer suitable for their current use, are in relatively poor condition and will cost significant funds to continue to service them or replace them," the report said.

"The condition of facilities and lack of maintenance of those in the caravan park projects a very poor image of the whole site. Many of the buildings are functionally obsolete, and are in need of additional maintenance.

"The facilities require an asset management plan, a capital works program and a funding strategy for improvements."

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