Review: Tabley Game and Country Fair

Saturday took us to the Tabley Game and Country Fair. It was out in Knutsford in Cheshire set in the grounds of Tabley House. Once a great manor it is now a retirement care home and the fair was held in the fields surrounding the house.

It was a bit of a shaky start. What can only be described as scantily clad pirate wenches manned the entrance and took our admission money. We got there mid morning and there was barely anyone there. From across the parking area the whole affair looked small and unpromising.

We wandered the stalls for about an hour and, rather down hearted, almost headed back to the car.

Dave suggested we grab a bite before hitting the road. He had venison sausages and I had a delicious venison burger and after receiving our food we turned our attention to huge centre display area.

We then spent the four hours being immensely entertained by all manner of displays of dogs, birds, classic cars, and country pursuits.

Far from ending in disappointment we realised we had pulled a blinder. It was a fantastic day out full of entertainment, fresh air, puppies, and country characters.

Number 1 Events are the same organisers who did the Astle Park Steam Rally we went to last year. They have lots more events happening this season and we are hoping to get to one or two more of them.

Details

Show: Tabley Game and Country Fair
Organiser: Number 1 Events
Date: June 4th and 5th 2011
Location: Tabley House, Knutsford, Cheshire
Admission: £8

Overall Rating

6 Pairs of Hunters

After the disappointment of the SEAS Spring Leisure Show I have to admit Dave and I did not have high hopes for Tabley. And it was a bit of a slow burner. BUT... It came good. Great in fact. We arrived at about 11:00 and had enough to keep us occupied and entertained until nearly 5:00 in the afternoon.

I am being a wee bit conservative on the rating. Mostly because the website oversold it ever so slightly. For example they promised heavy horses and rare breeds. The reality was two heavy horses, which were actually lovely in their bells and brasses, and not any rare breeds. Unless you lump the horses into that category as well.

All I'm saying is if you went expecting to see lots of different animals you would have been disappointed.

Country craft demonstrations were also on the website list of features and there weren't really any as such. But as there were lots of country sports demos going on I will let that one go as semantics.

The categories below are judged accordingly based on the price of admission and over all quality of what is on offer. A value for money index so to speak.

Location: Good
Good location.  Easy to find out in Knutsford and well sign posted. .
Tabley House is a huge manor house on an extensive estate. The house itself in now a retirement care home and you can't go in.

The show was held in the fields out in front of the house. It has a pretty private lake and it was very pleasant to walk around.

Parking: Good
Good and free. No hassle in or out. Organised and sane. We weren't sure what to make of the whorish wenches tending the gates though.

I hypothesised that perhaps Tabley House was a GENTLEMEN'S care home and the girls on the gate were like from the house. Drafted in to help out with the fair.

Dave didn't really know what to make of this theory. Or rather he didn't know what to make of the fact that it was MY theory.

Facilities: Good
The toilets were in good trailers and were real flushing ones with running water. Basic but clean and miles better than the horrible blue chemical ones you get most of the time.

Dave and myself are lucky enough to be able bodied and are not the best judges of accessibility. The show was held in a field but the ground was pretty good being dry and level. We did see people in wheel chairs etc and they did not appear to be having any difficulties.

Layout and Size: Fair
The show had a nucleus of sorts. It was the show ring and around that were vendors and stalls. Further out they had the clay pigeon shooting, which kept that noise away from the main ground, and fly fishing by the lake.

It was not a hooge area but it was a good walk around. And it was laid out well.

Exhibitor Variety: Fair
Even though there were not many exhibitors, there was some variety. Not the usual 7-3 junk jewelry to fudge ratio.

There was also a brilliant variety of non-vendors. Owls, birds of prey, gun dogs, shooting, and classic cars were on offer.

There was one brilliant stall selling old tools to which we returned twice. Dave got a couple of bargoons there. It was neat actually because they (the tool stall holders) are a charity who refurbish old tools and send them to developing countries to be given to people who can't afford decent tools. What they were selling were the ones not worth saving and the money went to the charity.

The web site promised heavy horses, rare breeds, and rural craft demonstrations. There were two magnificent horses but no rare breeds or crafts demos. Which is a shame because it kind of oversold something that didn't need it. And probably lead to some disappointment.

But I am rating this fair because there was a good variety in what was actually there.

Exhibitor Quality: Fair
This is an overall average. The vendors were offering pretty poor stuff really but the animal and country pursuits exhibitors were excellent.

Food (catering): Good
Relatively speaking it was reasonably priced and of a good variety. Dave and I had venison for lunch and got some venison burgers to take home to BBQ for dinner.

All in all it was the usual stuff: fish and chips, sausages, ice cream, beer.

I think the food was good mostly because we were there long enough and walking around enough to work up a good appetite. We even had ice cream!

Food (exhibitors): Poor
Almost non-existent and the same old fare: fudge, sausages, jam, cheese, and cupcakes. Nothing outstanding or from farms and producers in the area.

In terms of food I will admit that, having been to Chatsworth last year, Dave and I have been spoiled. Nothing even comes close. Even so the selection at Tabley was rather dire. They didn't even had enough of them to fill a marquee on their own. They had to share with the arts and crafts.

Arts and Crafts: Fair
I have graded this fair because due the the overall sparsity of vendors we were not over loaded with tat.

There was not a lot there that could be classified as art or craft in the sense of being handmade by an artist. All the same there wasn't really anyone trying to pass off Made in China crap as crafts.

Events and Attractions:Excellent
From the minute we got there until after we left the displays in the centre ring did not stop. Dog agility, sheep dog and gun dog training demos, an hilarious trio of trained owls, and lure races. All either hunting or dog or country sport related. And all very good.

Almost all of them tried to involve kids from the spectators in some way and people with dogs were able to have a go at lure running.Or at least their dogs were.

Animals: Good
I really should rate this excellent but I am giving it a good because the show didn't exactly deliver on the website's promises. Technically there were heavy horseS. But there were only two. And no rare breeds. Other than the horses.

So it is the promised variety with which I have a bone to pick. The animals and the people promoting them (especially the dogs and I am NOT a dog person) were excellent.

Demonstrations and Activities:Fair
As well as all the entertainment in the ring there was fly fishing, clay pigeon shooting, archery, a mini dog show, helicopter rides, tons of bouncy castles, and a few crazy doods with small traction engines.

There was also a chef doing demos in the food/craft tent but Dave and I preferred to be out in the sunshine.

Nothing out of the ordinary but still a good variety.

Atmosphere: Good
For the size of the fair there was a good number of people. The day was warm and mostly sunny and everyone looked like they were having fun. It was great to have so much going on in which spectators could participate.

Value for Money: Good
Just the entertainment and demos were worth the price of admission. It definitely made up for the small number of vendors. Because there were not a lot of vendors we didn't feel overwhelmed by the same old crap.

We had a great day out.