Steam Fair attacts 200,000 visitors (From Salisbury Journal)

Steam Fair attacts 200,000 visitors

4:25pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in News By Miranda Robertson

DESPITE a wet and muddy start to the show, the Great Dorset Steam Fair saw about 200,000 visitors this year.

On the first few nights of the show, at Tarrant Hinton, staff worked at night with steam rollers to ensure the ground was as safe as possible for visitors the next day.

Extra gates were opened get vehicles moved to safer ground, and stewards were kept busy helping visitors.

But on Thursday afternoon conditions improved dramatically, with temperatures soaring to 22 degrees.

The folk marquee was renamed the Michael Oliver Marquee this year, in memory of the fair’s founder.

Another new addition was a stone plinth carved by Robin Hooper in Mr Oliver’s memory, which was placed in the hedge towards the top of the steam ploughing hill as a permanent memorial.

Mr Oliver’s son Martin said: “The plinth is in a wonderful location overlooking the whole showground and dad would have approved wholeheartedly.

“It’s now nearly three years since he passed away and we all miss him so much. He has left a tremendous legacy in establishing the Great Dorset Steam Fair.”