The Hunter River Agricultural and Horticultural Association envisages the site, which features grand ceilings and exposed beams and brickwork, rivaling Tocal Homestead as a wedding destination.

Functions co-ordinator Bronwyn Bell said couples could have an intimate ceremony under the trees nearby before moving into the room for the reception.

She said a new room within the space, which is used for the TAB, doubled as the ideal place for the bride and her bridesmaids to get ready for the ceremony.

“Couples have to wait 18 months to get into Tocal, and it’s expensive, we have the same rural views … When you’re in the function room you could be anywhere,” Ms Bell said.

Ms Bell said guests could also take advantage of the showground’s camping site so they could drink and have a good time without worrying how they would get home. 

The association has spent more than $500,000 on the grandstand through private donations and a state government grant.

It has also put its own money into the function room to transform the space. 

The wiring has been upgraded, new lighting has been installed, the wooden beams have been painted to lift the space, and the cracked historic windows are being replaced. 

A commercial kitchen has also been installed so caterers can prepare food for the functions. 

The association now needs to tackle the floor, and is out of money, so it is hoping the community will give generously to help fund the cost of repairing and polishing the cracked concrete floor.

Once that is done the room can be hired out.

Ms Bell said the venture would give the association another income stream so it could put more money back into improving the showground. 

“We’d like to get all of the cracks in the floor fixed and we’d like to get it polished, it’d be a lovely finishing touch,” Ms Bell said. 

Maitland Country Womens Association has also urged the city to support the cause.