Bathurst fair off due to funding drought

A TWO-YEAR community initiative to bring tourism to a tiny 1820 settler village during the off-season has fallen flat after a decision was taken to pull the plug.

Bathurst Country Affair (BCA) organiser Tanya Schenk, who spent R150000 of her own money on the first two events, said failed attempts to get Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) funding or corporate buy-in of between R50000 to R100000 had sunk the event.

"We already had R26000 in bookings [from exhibitors] and all we needed was R50000 to make the event happen," she said.

Schenk said last year's event generated an estimated R2.5-million for local businesses and attracted more than 5500 visitors.

Together with applying for ECPTA funding, the BCA tried to get corporate and local buy-in with little success. Although locals supported and cashed in on the event, most do not have upfront funds to make it happen this year and only two responded with cash offers.

"I am very disillusioned and sad. The Bathurst Country Affair is a unique event on a national scale and now it is not happening.

"There are not many events where you can sit in an original 1820 settler house and be served a three-course meal by a top South African chef."

Showing mountains of ECPTA correspondence, Schenk said she was initially told there were funds available to partner with events that promoted the province, only to hear later this was not the case.

Sunshine Coast Tourism manager Sandy Birch yesterday said as far as she knew ECPTA did not have funds for festivals.

She said she met Schenk last week to try and revive the BCA later in the year by cutting down on infrastructure expenses like tents, marshals and temporary liquor licences.

"Every effort is being made to save the BCA, but in a reconfigured manner, as seeking large sums of money for festivals in the current economic climate is not viable."

ECPTA events and partnerships manager Zukiswa Ntwasa said they had to follow procurement policies which had not yet been concluded.

"It has been unfortunate that the fair organisers have been organising an event based on a process that has not been concluded as yet."

She said it was regrettable the procurement process had not been concluded and that this could put prospective bidders in "untenable situations". - David Macgregor