Shrewsbury Flower Show 2025 cancelled - shock as organisers pull plug on traditional event over rising costs

The show, which is held in the Quarry and is believed to be one of the longest running flower shows in the world, has struggled in recent years against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, a bomb scare in 2023 and the much-loved fireworks display being cancelled due to a heatwave, leaving visitors bitterly disappointed.

Now the Shropshire Horticultural Society, which organises the show, has pulled the plug for 2025. This year will mark the 150th anniversary of the show in its current form.

Maelor Owen, the society's chairman, said: "As a society, we have struggled to put on a show that was financially viable for several years.

"Over the past few years strenuous efforts have been made to reduce costs and boost attendance. Regrettably, the loss incurred by the society in staging the 2024 show was significantly greater than we had anticipated - by way of example, we spent over £150,000 on security and barriers. 

"Recent changes to National Insurance and the minimum wage, combined with the cost of living crisis, mean that further extensive losses would be incurred should we proceed with the 2025 show. 

"Such losses are simply no longer sustainable.

"We have therefore decided to take time to consider how best to take the society forward to enable it to carry on providing benefits to as wide a spread of people as possible. 

"This necessarily involves looking very carefully at the long-term viability of the Shrewsbury Flower Show. The society is, sadly, far from alone facing these challenges. 

"All options will be considered over the coming months and we anticipate making a further announcement later in the year.

"As the society still has substantial resources it will continue to fulfil its role as a charity funding horticultural and local causes. 

"In the past, the society has made many donations to the town including donating the Castle and Porthill Bridge to the town and, more recently, making a significant contribution towards the refurbishment of The Quarry.

"The society is currently lead sponsor of the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition staged by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and also sponsors a student through the Royal Horticultural Society. This is in addition to supporting various local causes.”