Visitor Information
The South of England Showground is set in 150 acres in Ardingly, West Sussex, at the heart of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
We’re easy to find and conveniently situated in the heart of the South East, accessible by car, bus or rail.
Where is the South of England Showground?
Our Address:
South of England Showground
Selsfield Road
Ardingly
West Sussex
RH17 6TL
How to find us
By road (from the M23)
- Exit the M23 at junction 10 and take the A264 towards East Grinstead.
- At the first roundabout, continue straight along the A264.
- At the second roundabout, turn right and head towards Haywards Heath along the B2028. The Showground is signposted at this roundabout.
- Just before you reach the village of Ardingly you will see the entrances to the South of England Showground on your right-hand side.
If you’re using a Sat Nav, the South of England Showground postcode (RH17 6TL) will take you to the main entrance.
By rail
The nearest railway station is Haywards Heath, which is on the main line between London and Brighton. Journey times are 45 minutes from London and 20 minutes from Brighton followed by a 10-minute journey by bus or taxi to the South of England Showground. Click here for timetables or contact National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
By bus
There is a bus stop situated close to the main entrance to the Showground with a service on the 272 Metrobus route. (Note – there is no service on Sundays or Public Holidays.) Compass Travel Shuttle buses run for the South of England Show.
By plane
The South of England Showground is located 20 minutes away (by road) from Gatwick Airport.
Parking
We have parking for 6,000 cars on-site, including a lorry and coach park. Parking is free of charge. At our large events, please follow the instructions of our parking attendants to ensure everything runs smoothly. We also have spaces for Blue Badge holders. See below for more information about our accessible parking facilities.
Accessibility
We want to make our events at the South of England Showground safe, accessible and enjoyable for all our visitors. Because each of our events have a different programme, accessibility information may vary from show to show. If you have any specific requirements, it’s best to contact us to discuss in advance with our friendly team.
The Showground has a wide network of paved roads and all buildings have ramp access. Our Norfolk Pavilion has a lift to reach the 1st Floor. At the South of England Show our Sanctuary is a place to step out of the hubbub and take a breath. Run by the Church, it is also where the Lost People post is located and has an area for mums with babies and toddlers including a buggy park.
Disembarking areas at show entrances
- Disembarking areas are available at the Blue and Green Gate entrances.
Car parking
We have accessible car parking spaces at our showground. Vehicles displaying a Blue Badge will be given priority, and if a pass is not displayed then visitors will be parked in the first available car park.
Wherever possible, badge holders will be given forward parking in all car parks subject to availability, but it is advisable to arrive early. Forward car parking cannot be guaranteed after 10am.
Mobility scooters
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Advanced Mobility Solutions Ltd will be providing mobility scooters and wheelchairs for hire at Spring Live!, the South of England Show and the Autumn Show & Horse Trials.
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Pre-booking is advised. This can be done online or via the telephone. For online booking, click here. To book via telephone, please call 01274 297777.
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If you have pre-booked a mobility scooter, please park near Blue Gate, where Advanced Mobility Solutions will be located.
Toilets
Toilets for disabled visitors are provided within the main toilet blocks as follows:
Eco-Toilet Block (Central Location)
- Red GateÂ
- Blue Gate
And within the following buildings:
Norfolk Pavilion (Members’ facility for the South of England Show).
Queen’s Jubilee Hall (close to the Green Gate entrance).
A Mobiloo unit will be provided at Green Gate at the South of England Show – an accessible toilet and changing place for those requiring use of a hoist and/or changing bed.
Carers
Carers are welcome at our shows free of charge when attending with a paying adult that they care for. Please present valid carer documentation at the pay booth at the gates so that you can be issued with a ticket for scanning in.
If you are the carer for a child with disabilities under 16, you are required to pay for your own ticket – this is because entry for under 16s is free with a paying adult. However, carers of disabled children under 16 can go free if accompanied by another fee-paying adult.
Carer documentation could be: Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Nimbus/Access card with +1, International Proof of Disability (or Symbol of Access), inclusion on Deaf Register, War Pensions Mobility Allowance, Certificate of Visual Impairment, a valid Blue Badge, or a personal letter from the GP, community nurse, occupational therapist or social worker confirming that an essential carer is required. This should be shown alongside some form of personal identification for the individual named in the carer documentation (bank card, driving licence etc).
Sustainability
We collaborate with our waste partners, The Recycling Partnership, to recycle as much waste as possible from our shows and together, have a ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ policy, recovering renewable energy from general waste through a number of processes including Energy Recovery and Refuse Derived Fuel. We encourage our suppliers and traders to have a ‘Zero Single Use Plastics’ policy and encourage our visitors to use re-fillable water bottles.
We work hard to reduce water waste at our events and Showground, and continually monitor our water and electricity usage. We use refillable dispensers in all of our visitor toilets and are working towards using re-usable linen hand towels in all our facilities. The Society encourages use of public transport, and for the South of England Show arranges a shuttle bus between the station and Showground.
The Society are constantly looking to develop our relationship with the local community, providing discounted tickets to residents for the South of England Show and various third party events held at the Showground. We also welcome volunteers from various local communities including those involved in the equine, agricultural and horticultural sectors to get involved in organising our shows. Various local groups from Sussex Police to the Trug makers and local gundog trainers are also invited to attend our shows, illustrate what they do, and connect with our visitors. We have a public footpath running through the showground where we welcome local residents and their dogs to make use of our green spaces, enhancing community wellbeing.
We are committed to increasing our sustainability practices going forward, including in our new buildings with minimal paper use, reduced water use, eco-friendly construction and sensor driven lighting, as evidenced in our new toilet block which was opened in June 2024.
Dogs
Spring Live! and the Autumn Show & International Horse Trials are dog friendly events, and we welcome visitors to bring their animals along, although they will not be admitted to indoor areas. We also ask that dogs are kept on leads. In the event of warm weather, please do not leave your dog in the car.
At the South of England Show, although dogs are allowed into the show it is not recommended – with the exception of assistance dogs. This is due to the large numbers of visitors and livestock areas where dogs are not permitted and the potential for hot weather.
At the Winter Fair, although dogs are allowed in to the show it is not recommended – with the exception of assistance dogs. This is due to the large number of indoor areas where dogs are not permitted.
First Aid
First aid is provided at all our annual events and there are first aid points located around the ground. They will change depending on which show you are attending so check the visitor map on the day for more detailed information.
Membership
If you enjoy attending our shows, find out more about Membership. You can attend each day of our four seasonal shows, access Members’ areas including parking, and you will be helping us to continue our work to fund and support agricultural education and countryside learning.
Read our reviews
Here are some of the things people are saying about us.
Great fun! Music from the Casablanca Steps, Shetland Pony Grand National, lots of nice farm beasts. More good shops than last year. A few more plants & poultry would be good.
Clare Salmon
Just been to the South of England show. Had an amazing time in the sunshine. Lots to see and do and something for everyone. My son thought the stunt bikes where awesome!!!
Mark Leppard
Great venue for country shows and the shows are top quality too.
Vicci Gunstone
SofE show great to see it back and they didn’t disappointed 3 fantastic days.
Ian Truman
This year was bigger and better than I have experienced in other years. Great mix of content across the stalls and show elements.
Zoe Randall
Easy parking which was free. Entrance price very good. Sellers did not mark prices too high. Huge varieties, from babies, children, adults and a good variety for animals. Cash and card available. A lovely Christmas atmosphere was created.
Julie Fairfowl
Charity of the Year
Find out more about our current Charity of the Year, Little Gate Supported Employment:
