THE future of some of Yorkshire's most popular country shows could be threatened by Government plans to "tax" large outdoor events, according to show organisers.

The general secretary of Ryedale Show, Peter Woodall, called the plans "crazy", adding: "It will just shut the shows."

He spoke out as leading countryside group the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) announced plans to lobby against Government proposals to introduce new graduated levies of up to £50,000 as part of the overhaul of the licensing system.

The CLA claims the payments would apply to any public entertainment event with more than 6,000 people attending, which used temporary accommodation and served alcohol.

The minimum fee would be £5,000, and this would rise depending on the attendance figure. The proposals by Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, are in a paper out for consultation.

The plan is that from February 7 local authorities must issue standard charges to cover their costs for inspections and health and safety checks on one-off and annual events on temporary sites. But the scale of the proposed charges has provoked outrage.

Mr Woodall said the plans were "crazy", describing them as yet another Government attack on the countryside.

He said: "There's lots of little country shows that are lucky to break even - it will just shut the shows.

"It just looks as though the Government wants to kill every activity in the countryside."

Last year the show made £20,000, with an estimated 15,000 people turning out on the day.

But he said the last two shows had been the first to make a profit since the foot and mouth outbreak.

The Great Yorkshire Show attracted 125,000 visitors to its Harrogate showground over three days in July last year.

Chief executive Nigel Pulling said the new charges would be of huge concern to event organisers, but more detail was needed to find out exactly how it would be implemented.

City of York Council's events co-ordinator, Liz Topi, said the proposals were "horrific", and would also affect some outdoor events in the city.

One show that would be affected is the motorcaravan show held on York's Knavesmire in September, which attracts about 20,000 people each year.

"We want York to be a happening city with events where people can go out and sit and relax outside while having a glass of wine or a beer.

"These days it's part of life. If these changes get the go-ahead that will be gone," she said.

Updated: 10:44 Friday, January 07, 2005