HOW dismayed we were to hear that the committee members of Thornton-le-Dale Show had turned away nearly £400 or stall rental from members of a group called the Yorkshire Ridings Produce.

The food producers affected are mainly farmers who have had to diversify and wished to attend the show to sell pork pies, soup and cakes.

The chairman of the show committee, Martin Blythe was conveniently unavailable for comment to the press, leaving only the treasurer, Steve Naylor to try to justify their reasons for turning these producers away.

It seems that the main reason for the rejection being that they might take some business away from the burger vans who appear to have sole monopoly in providing food to the show visitors, which leads us into thinking why would a local show committee restrict the type of producers and caterers allowed to come to the show, restricting revenue to the show organisers and ‘choice’ for visitors. Also, why would they get tied into a contract with just it seems one firm of caterers?

The producers in the Yorkshire Ridings Produce Group are welcomed at many agricultural/village shows and it is deplorable that they have been turned away from Thornton-le-Dale Show in this manner.

Our local producers need all the support they can get, and we would be very interested in what the elusive chairman of the committee, Mr Blythe, has to say in defence of the decision.

Lastly, a big pat on the back to the producers and would-be visitors who boycotted this year’s show because of their anger at the committee’s decision.

Let’s hope it makes them think again when they decide who can and cannot sell food and produce, or will it be the same fiasco next year?

Tony and Hilary Wood, Malton