Lambeth country show axed due to budget cuts

The annual Lambeth Country Show will not take place next year due to rising running costs, the local council has said.

The free annual two-day event has been held in Brockwell Park, south London, since 1974. It featured live music, stalls and other exhibits and has attracted more than 120,000 people in recent years.

Lambeth Council said that delivering a free event next year would cost it around £1m.

The council also said it would reduce the overall number of live events at the park following a legal challenge about how the green space is used.

In a statement, Lambeth Council said it could not provide funding for the country show in June 2026.

It said as it had to find more than £84m in savings over the next four years, subsiding the event was "not justifiable at this time".

Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth's cabinet member for stronger communities, said he knew many local residents would be "disappointed", but every area of spending was under review and vital services had to be put first.

He said: "We cannot take a decision that would prioritise this event above statutory services for the most vulnerable in our community.

"Protecting services for those who most need it means difficult but necessary choices like this."

The council added that the cancellation of the country show would mean the park is used less often for events.

However, several other ticketed events are due to go ahead at Brockwell Park next year.

Mr Anyanwu added: "The proposals for next year balances the desire to hold these important events which bring joy to hundreds of thousands of people and celebrates our borough's diverse culture, with reducing the total number of event days to lessen the impact on local people."

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