Following recent discussions with Brockwell Live, it is clear that delivering a free Lambeth Country Show in 2026 would require a substantially increased financial contribution from the council. The council has to find more than £84million of savings across the next four years, so providing this level of subsidy for the Country Show is not justifiable at this time. As a result, the Lambeth Country Show will not take place in June 2026.
Cllr Donatus Anyanwu, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: “We know that many residents will be very disappointed that the Lambeth Country Show cannot continue in 2026, and I share their disappointment. Unfortunately, the increased costs in recent years mean the council would need to fund over £1million to run the two-day event.
“When we are reviewing every area of council spending to meet our budget gap, including vital services, we cannot take a decision that would prioritise this event above statutory services for the most vulnerable in our community. Protecting services for those who most need it means difficult but necessary choices like this.
“The proposals for next year balances the desire to hold these important events which bring joy to hundreds of thousands of people and celebrates our borough’s diverse culture, with reducing the total number of event days to lessen the impact on local people.
“We are also committed to continuing our investment in our parks to ensure they remain as brilliant assets for our communities.”
To ensure there is consultation allowing interested parties to provide comments and all relevant planning considerations can be assessed, planning permission for the major events planned in the park will be sought.
The overall programme would cut the number of days that the events area at Brockwell Park would be used. Because of the new approach being taken for future events, the council has decided not to contest two outstanding legal challenges in relation to events in Brockwell Park held at the end of May and early June this year to avoid unnecessary costs to the taxpayer.
To enable greater clarity about the status of future major events and enable community consultation on the proposal, an application will be submitted to seek planning permission for the major events planned in the park in 2026. The application will be considered by the local planning authority in line with statutory processes.
