Mottram Show cancelled - & on the move to a new venue

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Somewhat unsurprisingly after the downpours yesterday and generally wet weather over the past few days, it's been confirmed today that Mottram Show has been cancelled yet again.

But the real story about the show follows on from our report at the end of June. We can now reveal that a new venue for the show has been located, and that money has been paid to secure it.

This document (opens PDF - from the 'Executive Cabinet' minutes - delusions of grandeur all round!) spells out that TMBC paid £450,000 for the 'alternative Mottram showground' as they call it on 31st March this year. Except, and as we predicted, it's in Hyde. And if you consult the map displayed above and the map we displayed in June, you can see we were almost right as to the location (wrong side of the road!)

But this news raises a lot of questions too. Our sources tell us that the address of the venue is "Botham's Hall Farm, Moss Lane, SK14 3AW", but this is also the address of a property development company which is listed here - 'Investment Property Istanbul Limited'. Maybe readers can help us out by telling us if they anything about them?

And where does the money come from? Is it 'new money' or has it already been factored into the Bypass costs - indeed, has it got anything to do with it at all? If it hasn't, should it be? That would obviously inflate the costs of the Bypass/Spur still further. The date the purchase was made suggests Tameside wanted to use up money before the end of the financial year/tax year. What are they up to?

Finally, this news underlines what we said in June about the location:

"...the physical Geography of the location suggests that the Mottram Show will belong to neither Mottram nor Longdendale. Along Stockport Road, it's possible to view the hills that form the valley, but not the valley itself - significantly, it also won't be possible to see the bypass. So the Mottram Show is cut off from its rightful home, and it's not even possible to view where it was from its new location. The brutal psychology at work in this deal should not be underestimated"

And since the deal has now been concluded, it's reasonable to wonder whether or not Mottram will ever host another 'Mottram Show'.

Showdown at the Showground - the end of 'Mottram' Show

The above photo shows the magnificent view of the Longdendale Valley from the Mottram Showground, home of the Mottram Show, during a show in 2002. The bypass route goes right through the Showground (photo credit: spaceless.com)

You may remember our post from a couple of weeks ago about the behind-the-scenes horse-trading going on during the Public Inquiry Recess. We mentioned that the Mottram Show Committee is split, not least because Roy Oldham has made it clear that were the Committee to object to the bypass, they could kiss goodbye to a new venue for their show. Access to the Supporter/Objector list shows that amongst the 6 Committee members listed on this page, there are 2 objectors and 1 supporter (J Swann, Supporter No. 866). The other people named have not taken a formal view. Whatever happened to people standing up with their consciences displayed? What power does Oldham have that he can buy their silence?

Well there are now rumours circulating around Longdendale that the deal has been done - and that the new home of the Mottram Show will be - Gee Cross. Or at least a patch of land alongside Stockport Road. This is clearly in Hyde, but the physical Geography of the location suggests that the Mottram Show will no longer belong to neither Mottram nor Longdendale. Along Stockport Road, it's possible to view the hills that form the valley, but not the valley itself - significantly, it also won't be possible to see the bypass. We've created a custom map, which is at the foot of this post which illustrates the Geograhical dislocation of this tradition from the whole area.

So the Mottram Show is cut off from its rightful home, and it's not even possible to view where it was from its new location. The brutal psychology at work in this deal should not be underestimated. The fact that the A560, fastest road in the area at 50 mph, runs through the land here is also highly ironic, as is the fact that the construction of the Bypass will entail a 15% increase in traffic along this road by 2015, and a 25% increase by 2030. Maybe by then, even the Gee Cross show - as it's sure to become known - will still not be safe from calls for a new road. But those on the Mottram Show Committee who have chosen to keep silent may well be pushing up daisies by then, along with the architect of the destruction of the Mottram Show and the Longdendale Valley, Roy Oldham.


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Since we published this post, we have learned the actual venue for the Show, as well as further interesting details. Read here for more details.