A duo of the Showmen’s Guild’s top-brass headed to Harrogate recently for discussions with senior figures from all across the UK’s local authorities, describing their myriad of conversations as both “meaningful” and “a turning point” in the relationship between Showmen and local councillors.

The recent attendance of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain to the Local Government Association’s annual convention in Harrogate saw guild reps granted an “overwhelming and surprisingly positive” reception, according to a news release from the group.

The SGGB sent both general secretary Joe Mercer and public affairs manager Des Fitzgerald to grab the ear of senior representatives at the yearly event: with councillors present from all of the UK’s 1,600 local, regional and county authorities. 

The invite to the convention came on the back of a successful meeting with the chair of culture and sport for the LGA last November, in which the guild said it discussed “the high cost of doing business with councils” as well as “the complications that arise with a turnover of officers.” 

Rather than book a costly permanent stand in the exhibition zone of the three-day event, the duo of Showmen opted instead to track down key officials in between scheduled meetings and engagements, with a “well-rehearsed” raft of discussion points prepared in advance: chief among them the guild’s ongoing bid to attain UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. 

The pair described their resultant conversations as “meaningful.” 

“Within structure of the convention’s timetable and taking in the ad-hoc  opportunities to engage with delegates, many not expecting it, the reaction was overwhelmingly and  surprisingly positive,” Fitzgerald reported. “We were able to alter perceptions of the industry with a quick chat and highlight the Showmen’s Guild position at the centre of the industry.”

Taken together, across 2,800 traveling fairs, Showmen pay on average £75m in rent to local councillors every year. Fitzgerald described the LGA event as “information hungry” and receptive to stats on business regulation, so laying out “attention-grabbing” stats such as these felt like “pushing at an open door.” 

For his part, guild general secretary Joe Mercer said the event marked a “landmark  boost in engagement with the LGA.”

“This is an exciting turning-point for our collective dialogue with local and regional government on issues that concern us all in a way that demonstrates the Guild’s professionalism to win respect,” he remarked. “This dialogue dovetails with our renewed effort to gain stronger representation with our All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in Westminster and with government departments directly. Similar boosts are planned to assist in Scotland and Wales.”