Visitors to this year’s Worcester Show will have to pay a £2 entry fee.

The city council is introducing the charge as part of efforts to balance the books in its 2024/25 budget.

Councillors came close to introducing the fee last year but when it came to a vote, opted instead to ask for voluntary donations.

But after spending £7,000 on extra measures to accept donations at the August event - including security staff and extra fencing - only £2,900 was raised.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday (February 20), Cllr Adrian Gregson said: “It was decided it was too early last year and so we relied on voluntary donations. It didn’t work.

“I am opposed to privatising the show so it is incumbent on the city to support it.”

Cllr Owen Cleary said he had spent six hours at the show last year but had not been asked to donate.

“I had to find the donation bucket at the back of a tent and push past people to get to it,” he said.

Cllr Tor Pingree said: “We don’t want to make this decision but we have to. That’s where 14 years of austerity gets you.”

Cllr Neil Laurenson said: “The event needs to pay for itself. It’s £2 and children will get in free.

“Let’s see how it works - for me, it’s a trial.”

Cllr Mel Allcott said to put the price into perspective, a cappuccino from Gregg’s costs £2.35.

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But Cllr Stephen Hodgson warned: “People are not going to like this.”

As well as introducing an entrance fee, the cost to stallholders is also going up by between £4 and £10 depending on the type of pitch.

The family-friendly Worcester Show is held every August at the city’s Pitchcroft Racecourse and regularly attracts more than 10,000 visitors - but last year’s event was run at a nearly £12,000 loss, with the city’s taxpayers making up the shortfall.