Boris Johnson sends message of support to those attending virtual Royal Welsh Show
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has posted a message of support to those attending or taking part in the Royal Welsh Show.
Boris Johnson said he is "very sad" he cannot be at the Royal Welsh Show in person this year.
He said: "I promised to come back again but owing to the current state of the pandemic, we can't do it the way we want to."
It is the first time ever the Show has taken place digitally, because of the coronavirus pandemic. In March, it was announced the Show, which takes place each summer at Llanelwedd near Builth Wells, would have to be cancelled following government and public health advice. It is estimated the Mid Wales area could lose around £40 million pounds because the event cannot take place in its usual format.
This year’s virtual Royal Welsh Show started today and featured an opening address by the Prince of Wales. The virtual Show will include seminars, live question and answer sessions and other events designed to educate the public about agriculture, Welsh produce and the environment.
Simon Hart, Secretary of State for Wales, said: "This year’s Royal Welsh Show comes at a crucial moment where we must balance the need to save lives and contain the coronavirus with our objective to protect our economy and ensure sectors like agriculture are able to bounce back strongly.
"While the staging of the Royal Welsh Show is impossible this year, I fully support its move to an online platform and hope it will enable the show to grow its reach and come back even stronger next year. I look forward to lending my support to the agricultural sector this week and hearing the views of those employed in it about how we can best navigate our way through the months ahead."