Time to take a bow (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Time to take a bow

6:03pm Sunday 28th October 2012 in News

THERE’S a chance to follow in the footsteps of a number of well known TV gardening gurus if you fancy owning a stage.

The stage in question is the purpose-built one which, in its heyday, served as a stomping ground for some of Britain’s top television gardeners at the Three Counties Showground. Now surplus to requirements it’s up for grabs and free of charge! The 7m x 3m sectional platform, which stands at just under a metre high, was built by renowned local landscape designer, James Steed, for the national Malvern Spring Gardening Show in 2009, as the centre-piece of its Design for Living Theatre.

BBC Gardeners’ World presenters, Joe Swift, Carol Klein, Toby Buckland and Alys Fowler graced the wood and steel stage, as part of the show’s first ever Fashion Day, organised in conjunction with Worcester College of Technology and shown on national television. It was also the launch pad for fashion designer Iain Burton-Legge’s spectacular ‘Fire & Ice’ creations.

It was used again in 2010, by celebrated designer and broadcaster, Chris Beardshaw, as the public arena for his prestigious Apprentice-style Mentoring Scholarship scheme.

The showground's theatre has now been modified, and the stage is surplus to requirements. It is currently languishing in the corner of the showground’s workshop yard, waiting for a new home.

Sharon Gilbert, the showground’s PR & Marketing Manager, said: “The old stage is definitely not in its first flush of youth, and the weather has taken its toll to some extent, but it is contemporary, shapely, intact and functional. With a little tender loving care it could certainly stand in the spotlight again.

“We are offering it to schools, amateur dramatic societies, village halls, dance groups or indeed any individual or group able to recycle it for a good cause.”

Interested parties should call her on 01684 584929 (direct dial) or 07914 445334.