Four large, flat fields off Ashley Road make up the Ashley Hall Showground, an outdoor events site near Altrincham on the Cheshire side of Greater Manchester. The fields, each covering between sixteen and twenty-six acres with hardstanding and easy vehicle access, provide a flexible open-air space used for festivals and large gatherings. The showground has become best known as the home of the Brit Fest, a multi-day celebration of British music and culture held each July. The festival fills the site with live music, camping, food, drink and family attractions, drawing acts from across British pop and rock to its outdoor arena. Past line-ups at the site have featured names such as Squeeze, Badly Drawn Boy, China Crisis, Kim Wilde, Incognito, Blancmange, Midge Ure and Roachford, reflecting a programme that leans toward established British artists. The open fields allow for a main stage, camping areas and the infrastructure of a full weekend festival. Access to the festival is arranged via the Hale gate rather than the main Ashley entrance, with camping and live-in-vehicle areas set up across the grounds and free bus services laid on from nearby towns and the airport. The scale of the fields lets the layout flex to the size of each event. Outside festival season the showground functions as agricultural and events land, and its size and accessibility off the local road network make it suitable for a range of outdoor uses. Set in open countryside yet close to Altrincham and Manchester Airport, it offers a rural events setting within easy reach of the city. The site sits within the Cheshire green belt close to the affluent villages of Hale and Ashley, and its open aspect and road access have made it a practical choice for large temporary events that need space for stages, camping and parking. Beyond Brit Fest it has been used for a range of outdoor gatherings, with the flat, well-drained fields lending themselves to festival layouts and other open-air uses through the warmer months.

Type: Outdoors

Address: Ashley Road, Ashley, Birmingham, United Kingdom, WA14 3QA