Blackpool Show 2023 - update 09/01/23
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 11:30 am
BHW SHOW OF THE YEAR 2023
9 January 2023
Update Monday 9th January, 10.00pm
A special request to DEFRA and APHA to clear the Surveillance Zone affecting the Winter Gardens at Blackpool was received with the required importance, and a Specialist Team was sent to the area on Friday 7th January to complete their audit. Unfortunately, as there are a cluster of affected premises joining each other, it is a very complicated situation and although they worked right through the weekend, at a meeting held this morning with an APHA representative at 10am, we were advised that they could not guarantee the lifting of the restrictions by the 20th January to allow us to continue as normal with the show. We could however have pigeons in Blackpool, if a suitable venue could be found in the unaffected area to the south of the town.
Show Chairman David Trippett and I went immediately to Blackpool and on arrival at 2:30pm, we made some arrangements to erect a marquee large enough to hold the 1600 pigeons entered in the 39 Classes with room to spare for sale birds to be housed safely, and although all are in agreement a written confirmation on the site is due tomorrow (Tuesday 10th). This will allow us to obtain a General Licence and the sale birds will have to remain outside the zone, but can indeed be sold by auction or on trade stands in the Winter Gardens to be collected by the buyers just as they are leaving Blackpool for home.
We realise this is far from ideal, and way out of the comfort zone of many fanciers, but it is just a short tram or taxi ride away from the Winter Gardens and the stark reality is that Avian Flu is here to stay, it is not just for this year, and we have to find solutions to work around any possible restrictions at any time in the future, be it for Blackpool or any other pigeon show, quite simply, we cannot let this beat us.
I am aware of the social media comments demanding constant updates and I stand first in line to accept that, but up until 10am today it looked as though we may have been OK. As soon as we were told otherwise, we made the lengthy drive to find a solution and until that was done, there were no accurate updates to give. We now need your support to make the best of the situation for the prospects of all Pigeon Shows, because unless we try, they will die, and this could happen to any one of them.
Chris Sutton
CEO
=======================================
The largest gathering of pigeon fanciers in the United Kingdom – the BHW Show of the Year 2023 – is now nearly upon us! It takes place at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, over the weekend of Saturday/Sunday 21st/22nd January.
Preparations are in full swing – click on the images below for more about what’s on, and other news will be reported as it develops. See also the dedicated BHW Show of the Year website.
You can avoid the queues on the day by ordering your tickets online or over the phone now.
9 January 2023
Update Monday 9th January, 10.00pm
A special request to DEFRA and APHA to clear the Surveillance Zone affecting the Winter Gardens at Blackpool was received with the required importance, and a Specialist Team was sent to the area on Friday 7th January to complete their audit. Unfortunately, as there are a cluster of affected premises joining each other, it is a very complicated situation and although they worked right through the weekend, at a meeting held this morning with an APHA representative at 10am, we were advised that they could not guarantee the lifting of the restrictions by the 20th January to allow us to continue as normal with the show. We could however have pigeons in Blackpool, if a suitable venue could be found in the unaffected area to the south of the town.
Show Chairman David Trippett and I went immediately to Blackpool and on arrival at 2:30pm, we made some arrangements to erect a marquee large enough to hold the 1600 pigeons entered in the 39 Classes with room to spare for sale birds to be housed safely, and although all are in agreement a written confirmation on the site is due tomorrow (Tuesday 10th). This will allow us to obtain a General Licence and the sale birds will have to remain outside the zone, but can indeed be sold by auction or on trade stands in the Winter Gardens to be collected by the buyers just as they are leaving Blackpool for home.
We realise this is far from ideal, and way out of the comfort zone of many fanciers, but it is just a short tram or taxi ride away from the Winter Gardens and the stark reality is that Avian Flu is here to stay, it is not just for this year, and we have to find solutions to work around any possible restrictions at any time in the future, be it for Blackpool or any other pigeon show, quite simply, we cannot let this beat us.
I am aware of the social media comments demanding constant updates and I stand first in line to accept that, but up until 10am today it looked as though we may have been OK. As soon as we were told otherwise, we made the lengthy drive to find a solution and until that was done, there were no accurate updates to give. We now need your support to make the best of the situation for the prospects of all Pigeon Shows, because unless we try, they will die, and this could happen to any one of them.
Chris Sutton
CEO
=======================================
The largest gathering of pigeon fanciers in the United Kingdom – the BHW Show of the Year 2023 – is now nearly upon us! It takes place at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, over the weekend of Saturday/Sunday 21st/22nd January.
Preparations are in full swing – click on the images below for more about what’s on, and other news will be reported as it develops. See also the dedicated BHW Show of the Year website.
You can avoid the queues on the day by ordering your tickets online or over the phone now.