Hampton Court Flower Show Evacuated!

8 Jul '04 7:15 am

It's just been reported on BBC News that the Hampton Court Flower Show had to be evacuated today due to the weather that hit London this afternoon and is now storming thru the midlands and east anglia.

The weather is expected to hold for another day Sad

The wind was very strong in London this afternoon - The sort of wind that surprises you and requires a bit of effort to walk into. Kew Gardens in south west London was also closed due to falling branches.

Though Hampton was only my second flower show, I've seen enough gardens and exhibits close up to see how dangerous a flower show could get in 50 mph winds with tarpaulins, tree ferns and ropes and flying around.

While I'm pleased we avoided the weather and got all the photos and video we need I hope that the Main Flower Marquees and the Rose Pavilion are ok and that the show can reopen tomorrow as planned.

Anyone that missed out due to the weather should check back soon for our coverage of the 2004 Hampton Court Flower Show. We've got photos and video of most of the gardens and todays evacuations have given me added impetus to get stuck in and do a good job.

12 Jul '04 11:26 am

Oh dear - the Hampton Court Flower Show storm continues... on their bulletin board! It seems that the RHS have upset a large number of its members with their handling of the bad weather situation at last week's flower show Sad

Despite the early closure of the show on 7th July, full-day ticket holders who had entered the show are not being offered a refund or a replacement ticket. This is despite the RHS letting people enter the show up to an hour before closure, so some people - those who had travelled far, or were stuck in terrible traffic in the morning - spent £27 per person for an hour's show Confused

The RHS logistical organisation of the evacuation has also come under attack. Disgruntled reports include lack of trained stewarding, insufficient exits opened creating huge queues just to leave, and difficulties in retrieving purchases from the creche before exit. Exascerbated by other emergency situations in the local area, gridlock meant that some drivers were stuck as long as 4 HOURS just waiting to exit the event car parks Shocked

The Met Office (government weather monitoring service) issued a severe weather warning just before 10am - when the event opened - and so many members feel that the potential closure of the event should have been pre-empted and warning given, so that ticket holders could decide whether to use their ticket and therefore risk losing their refund. By announcing AFTER the evacuation that used tickets would not be honoured further, the RHS seem to have angered the already-disappointed members.

The RHS have issued a statement regarding the handling of this situation. Unfortunatley, it doesn't seem to have pacified many of the visitors, who are calling for an Extraordinary General Meeting and are rallying a petition to show a vote of no confidence in the committee. Many other members are threatening to vote with their feet by cancelling their membership - surely the most effective way of voicing discontent, yet also the most damaging to the membership-dependent charity Confused

What a terrible shame that the event and its handling has come to this. I feel very lucky that, purely by random chance, the Moosey UK team could enjoy the preceeding full and sunny day's event.

Were any of our forum visitors unfortunate enough to experience this Hampton Court Flower Show evacuation? Did you suffer the same problems, and what is your view on the handling of the situation?

11 Aug '04 9:55 am

Ha! It's a timely reminder (though an unfortunate one for all the supporters of Hampton) that gardening takes place in partnership with weather - and just when we think we're in control as outdoor gardeners there'll be a ghastly reminder.

And sorry to get even more serious, but recently in New Zealand we've had some damaging floods (in the North Island). Imagine seeing years of devotion to soil, beds, borders and plants wrecked like this! We've always been rather glib at Mooseys, for our only problem is drought - much easier to cope with than flood.

We are very lucky! And lucky that the Moosey intrepid garden reporters had a fine day to get their fabulois pictures and stories about Hampton Court.

PS I want some Gabions - I rather like them! Wonder what they'd look like in a country setting? I'd like cylindrical ones, though - is this possible?

Hampton Court Flower Show Evacuated!

Hampton Court Flower Show Evacuated!

Hampton Court Flower Show evacuation - RHS reaction