Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm-Fest Faces Trader Backlash After Small Businesses Leave Early

A trader who paid to have a stall at The Great British Farm-Fest, promoted by Jeremy Clarkson, found the whole experience “heart-wrenching”. In fact, she ended up leaving early

Jeremy Clarkson’s highly anticipated festival took place over the weekend. From May 22-24, The Great British Farm-Fest celebrated UK-based farmers and their produce.

The event, which took place across 3,000 acres in Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, featured famous faces including Jeremy Clarkson, TV chef Matt Tebbutt and Countryfile star Adam Henson. There was live music from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, farm-themed competitions, food demonstrations and tractor displays for guests to enjoy.

Tickets cost £35 for a half-day or £60 for all-day admission with access to the above events. However, after entering Farm-Fest, punters would mostly have to pay for food or products on top of the ticket price.

The festival was a major draw for traders hoping to promote their brands and sell products to the public. The festival had more than 400 stalls, which proved to be a shrewd decision for some.

However, some business owners were left feeling less than impressed after making “diddly squat” at Farm-Fest. One of these attendies was Korrine Pallas, who struggled to contain her tears after a “heart-wrenching” few days of trading.

Pet supplies entrepreneur Korrine told her TikTok followers: “It has been catastrophic for us, and when you are already a small family business in hard times – it is heart-wrenching.”

Admitting she was a “few grand down” and not in a position to pay £400 for the stall on Sunday, she described the experience as a total “shambles”.

Emotional Korrine, who co-founded pet brand Pops and Coco, added: “There have been a lot of traders who have gone home – lots of traders left last night, particularly dog traders…

“To come to a three-day event like this, which has been heavily advertised on social media, to walk away at a loss is incredible really.”

Korrine’s video has garnered more than 1.1 million likes on TikTok and many sympathised with her.

One wrote: “It’s such a shame that so many trade shows are over-charging the customers, making footfall a lot lower. I have seen it at car shows, farm shows and many other events now. Small businesses really are struggling.”

Another said: “You’re the second company I’ve seen say it was terrible. How awful for you traders.”

And a third added: “I stopped doing trade shows a while ago. When the customers get rinsed for a ticket, they just don’t spend.”

Having a bigger brand didn’t necessarily mean you’d fare better at the festival. Social media star Spud Man, who has more than 4.2 million followers on TikTok, said he was struggling to make a worthwhile profit.

Organisers said they were “surprised” a “handful of exhibitors” had decided to leave Farm-Fest early. However, some would have made a decent profit from flogging their wares.

One TikTok user pointed out: “Every show has winners and losers. It all depends what people are prepared to pay.”

A spokesman for Jeremy Clarkson’s Great British Farm-Fest said: “We have been working closely with traders at The Great British Farm-Fest to provide support during our inaugural weekend.

“We are surprised that a handful of exhibitors, out of the 400 who attended, left the show within a few hours of the first day without experiencing an event that has attracted over 50,000 visitors.”