Allan and Silvia Brooks of Glen Rest Tourist Park said this year they had six caravans for the festival when they would normally get 15 to 20.

“The Beardies committee ask us to sponsor the festival but how can we when no-one stays in our caravan park,” Mr Brooks said. “We are a small business and council are allowing free camping. We are part of the community we pay rates and spend money here. With horse events we can understand, but we take dogs (for dog trials) and I have seen guys with beards and motor bikes they are definitely not related to showground activities.”

Blue Sapphire Caravan Park owner Chris Sexton said his trade had been down generally. He believed it was affected by free camping in rest areas. He said rest areas should be used as they were intended enforcing a maximum eight-hour stop over. Mr Sexton said any longer and travellers should be made to come into town to use the amenities and spend money with local businesses.

He said he often sees up to 14 caravans a night at rest areas, leaving rubbish behind, when it would be rare for their park to have that many unless it was a festival.

“There is no other industry where council provide free facilities and there is not just one but four rest areas just outside of town,” he said.

However, proprietor of Fossickers Caravan Park Cathy Spry said free camping was not affecting her business.

“We know that the showground is a great asset to the town. We don’t have a problem with the current arrangements that were agreed upon about five years ago,” she said.

Mrs Spry said the arrangements included the showground trust not actively pursuing campers and accommodating overflow from caravan parks during festivals. She also said it was agreed the rest areas would stay as they were.