Alan Titchmarsh blames Brexit for fall in Chelsea Flower Show sponsors
Alan Titchmarsh says the event will have eight show gardens this year, down from 17, as backers pulled out over the Leave vote.
Monday 22 May 2017 17:34, UK
Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh has blamed the Brexit vote for a sponsorship slump at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
The television star suggested the vote to leave the European Union had left companies "nervous" of supporting the prestigious show.
There will be just eight show gardens at Chelsea this year, compared to last year's 17, after a number of key sponsors pulled out.
Bookings for this year's show were taken in July 2016, in the weeks after EU referendum result and amid fears of a slowdown in the UK economy.
Commenting on the fall in number of show gardens this year, Titchmarsh said: "It reflects the fact that, when everybody was booking for Chelsea last year, it was when Brexit happened and everybody got a bit nervous, but I think next year it's going to get back to normal.
"People are careful when they are not quite sure, but this event gives gardening and horticultural a great shot in the arm every year.
"Gardening will survive anything. It will be the last thing to go so we need to keep growing things and we need to cheer ourselves up."
The west London show opens to the public on Tuesday.
Speaking at a preview to the event, Titchmarsh was joined by several stars including actresses Dame Judi Dench and Gemma Arterton, Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell and actor Hugh Bonneville.
Television cook Mary Berry and Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans opened one of the station's five 'Feel Good' gardens at this year's show, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Harrods department store, The Telegraph and cosmetics brand L'Occitane all pulled out of this year's show despite having sponsored gardens in 2016.
This year's number of show gardens, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, is lower than the 13 in 2009, in the wake of the financial crisis.
In 2008 there were a record 21 show gardens.
The Royal Horticultural Society has held an annual garden show in Chelsea since 1912, with 157,000 people visiting the five-day event each year.
Titchmarsh first covered Chelsea Flower Show for the BBC in 1983 and says the event still "surprises me every time".