THE Royal Lancashire Show was considerably luckier with the weather this year, and there were no great traffic difficulties entering or leaving the showground.

Nevertheless, the event was thinly attended. I do hope the RLAS is asking why. I can tell them.

This is a prestigious three-day county show, involving a great deal of organisation by many people. It is completely wasted effort if the public are not given every possible encouragement to attend.

Publicity was absolutely lamentable -- our local shows receive much more. Little advertising, few roadside notices, a singularly uninformative website, and even tourist information offices with no idea of when or where the show was to be held. With a fortnight to go, I did find a programme -- in Yorkshire.

To obtain advance tickets took a staggering six phone calls and we were left wondering if the total saving for our party of £6 was worth the aggravation.

Compare these arrangements with those of the Great Yorkshire Show. Ample advertising and programmes in every tourist information point -- including libraries. ONE dedicated office dealing with advance ticket sales, one phone number, and card facilities. The tickets were promptly dispatched and arrived six weeks before the show date.

The show got our money whether or not we attended. For us, there was a worthwhile saving.

It might also be worth considering having at least one of the show days at weekend, if the Royal Lancashire is to be viable at this new site.

MONICA SUTCLIFFE, Salisbury Street, Colne.