Show refunds could take time after cancellation
BBCShowgoers and traders have been told they may face a wait for refunds after high winds forced the cancellation of Saturday's Royal Cornwall Show, leaving many businesses counting heavy losses.
Thousands were turned away after gusts of up to 50mph battered the showground overnight, making it unsafe to continue. Traders say they have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Show secretary Mark Stoddart said the managing charity's trustees would need to decide whether traders would received any reimbursement, while ticket-holders were more likely to get their money back.
The cancellation also had a "substantial impact" on the charity's funds, but the event continue in future years, he added.
"Ticket buyers are likely to receive their money back because they obviously didn't get any benefit whatsoever," he said.
However, he also warned it would not be quick.
He said: "There are something like 30,000 tickets that have not been used... This is not going to be a quick process to actually sort this out. It does take quite a while to unwind."
Stoddart said the decision to cancel the final day of the show was made at an early morning meeting with police, fire and rescue, ambulance and other organisations.
Staff had tried to respond at the showground near Wadebridge during the night, but "it wasn't safe for them".
When asked if traders who suffered cancellation losses would get compensation, Stoddart said the charity was "currently going through the process of working out exactly what is going to happen".
He added he appreciated "how much effort and time" traders put in, and also the "financial outlay" made on their stock.
Despite the setback, Stoddart insisted the long-running event would recover.
He said the impact on finances would be significant, but explained a "wet weather fund" built up over previous years would help ensure it continued "as we have been doing since 1793".
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