Ellerslie Flower Show canned for 2015

  • Breaking
  • 09/06/2014

By 3 News online staff

Christchurch's Ellerslie International Flower Show has been cancelled next year, with the council instead thinking of ways to make it financially viable for 2016.

The annual event has been making losses for the last two years, and as a result the Christchurch City Council has decided not to renew its contract with the show's management.

"Ellerslie is a fantastic event," says councillor Tim Scandrett. "It cements Christchurch's image as the 'Garden City', boosts local morale and puts our city on the tourism map."

But the council says the show's financial losses, which totalled $516,000 this year, are too high to continue with the event for now.

"The council has a responsibility to ratepayers to be prudent with spending, so we need to work through how a gardening show can be made financially viable," says Mr Scandrett. "While there will be no show next year, the council will work with the gardening and events communities to work out what form a show could take in 2016."

The council spent $3 million to bring the show to Christchurch in 2007, hoping it would become an icon for the city.

The show does not receive any additional funding – with the council as the owner, any profit is placed into reserves and any losses are absorbed by the council.

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source: newshub archive