Woodhouses 1970 to 1979: The Inflation Years
The 1970’s in the UK were turbulent years characterised by petrol shocks, accelerated industrial change, government change and financial bailouts which collectively led to labour unrest, high unemployment and runaway inflation. The post WWII expansion finished abruptly as manufacturing costs escalated, product quality plummeted and imports threatened the very markets and products for which the UK was famous. There were strikes all over the public sector including British Coal, British Rail, the CEGB and British Leyland and stretching across the local authority workers who were all on go slow or complete shut down. It was a volatile decade when just staying in business was an achievement of itself.
Gladly, the Woodhouses business of traditional shows and events continued despite the national strife and turmoil. At their offices in Nottingham a second floor of office space was constructed by the site foreman during the winter months. On completion an adjacent plot of land was bought and the Woodhouse Engineering Works was constructed from where they traded as Tinsley Wire and Weldmesh Distributors and Fabricators of Steelwork.
In this decade the 4th generation Woodhouse brothers were promoted to management roles and in 1976 Robert, Michael and Richard Woodhouse were made Directors of the family business. Product renewal, replacement and gradual improvement were the targets of the day as material costs escalated year on year with inflation rising to nearly 15%.

The 3rd & 4th Generation Woodhouse Family, Michael, Robert, Leslie, Bruce and Richard in the Iremonger Road workshops.
Woodhouses began contracting as follows:
- Burghley Horse Trials 1961
- Badminton Horse Trials 1958
- Suffolk County Agricultural Show 1956
- Harewood Horse Trials 1955
- Peterborough Agricultural Show 1953
- Dorchester Agricultural Show 1953
- Montgomeryshire Agricultural Show 1953
- Brighton Horse Show 1952
- Royal Norfolk Show 1952
- Royal Windsor Horse Show 1952
- The Royal Smithfield Show, London 1952
- Southport Flower Show 1951
- Lincolnshire Agricultural Show 1951
- Horse of the Year Show, London 1950
- Newark Agricultural Show 1950
- Bridgwater Agricultural Show 1950
- International Eisteddfod, Llangollen 1950
- International Horse Show, London 1948
- Royal Counties Show 1948
- Bath & West Show 1947
- Northumberland Show 1946
- Staffordshire Agricultural Show 1936
- Bakewell Agricultural Show 1936
- Sussex County Agricultural Show 1931
- Royal Cornwall Show 1925
- Kent County Agricultural Show (Mid- Kent & East Kent) 1923
- Royal Welsh Show (Welsh National) 1910
- Three Counties Show (Hereford & Worcester) 1903
- Shropshire & West Midlands Show 1901
- Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales 1900
- Devon County Show 1896
- Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show 1891
- Nottingham Agricultural Society 1891
- Cheshire Agricultural Society (Stockport) 1891