Aycliffe Today Business PNE1578_AycliffeTodayBusiness_Issue28_WEBhighres | Page 9
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 9
Russ Gibson wants to re-launch the Great
Aycliffe Show in Newton Aycliffe, which used to
attract more than 20,000 visitors every year.
Businesses
already
backing bid
to relaunch
New Great
Aycliffe Show
A Newton Aycliffe man bidding to relaunch the Great Aycliffe Show
has revealed he is already in advanced talks with major events
organisers to help him complete his ambitious attempt.
By Martin Walker
And a number of companies on Aycliffe
Business Park have already shown their
support to the idea.
Married father-of-three Russ Gibson wants
to relaunch the once traditional annual event,
which was dropped by Aycliffe Town Council
in 2015 due to budget cuts and replaced
with smaller festivals around the town, in the
summer of 2018.
The 35-year-old former Greenfield School
pupil, who has always lived in Aycliffe, says
he’s under no illusions about the task ahead
of him, but says he’s already taken free
consultation from professional people about
the commercial viability of the show, which
would cost around £50,000 to fund.
Mr Gibson already has a solicitor, an
accountant and a local marketing firm on
board, and says he’s also held talks with
experienced events organisers.
“It’s a huge task involving some
eyewatering expenses,” said Mr Gibson.
“But this hasn’t just come out of the blue.
When the show stopped, I was thinking
‘it can’t stop, it needs to stay’. I’ve always
thought – as has my wife and other people
I’ve spoken to – that it needs to come back.
“I’ve looked into it, I’ve spoken to various
different people, I’ve spoken to other
experienced events organisers who’ve
offered me free consultations and I’ve also
spoken to fairground providers who’ve
advised on what needs to happen.
“Yes I’m nervous it’s going to be a big
event, but nothing is impossible. We’ve
looked into the figures and, if marketed
properly, the numbers do stack up. Any
event starts with a thought. Someone had to
think of this one, and that was me.”
Mr Gibson – who’s self-employed and
lives near the town centre with wife Leane
and their three children Jack (9), Harley (7)
and Poppy (2) – has created a new company,
Great Aycliffe Events, and is now seeking
public support for the venture.
“I’ve always thought the show left a huge
gap for the town’s community,” he added.
“I think the show lost its way a little,
and then due to budget cuts, it was
understandable that the council could no
longer fund it any more through tax payers’
money.
“But I’ve always thought it left a huge
gap for the town’s community. A town of
Aycliffe’s size, with around 30,000 people in
it, should have an annual event like this.
“I was brought up in Aycliffe and I’m
bringing my children up in the town – and
want them to grow up and be proud to call
this town their home.”
Mr Gibson is hoping Aycliffe Town Council
will support the idea of a new Great Aycliffe
Show by providing the venue at the OakLeaf
Sports Complex, which used to host the
event.
He said: “It would need to be
commercially-viable, of course, but I
firmly believe, if marketed properly and
with the right attractions, that it would be
overwhelmingly supported by the general
public.
“At the moment we’re appealing for
help and support from the community and
businesses to hopefully make this happen
in 2018.”
More than 700 people have already
followed his Facebook page and he’s
appealing for people to show their
support by going to www.facebook.com/
greataycliffeshow
Any businesses interested in
supporting Russ can email him at
[email protected]