Maitland Toyota’s Burton family has bought the naming rights to Steamfest in a deal worth $30,000 a year over four years.

Founder and dealer principal Norm Burton Snr readily ­concedes he is not a steam buff, nor is the deal likely to bring him any extra business on the festival weekend.

Mr Burton said his motivation was a desire to do the best for Maitland.

“It’s a Maitland thing. If it puts Maitland in the minds of people for a short time then that’s the good we get out of it,” Mr Burton said.

Mr Burton said there were not a lot of businesses or people buying naming rights to, or sponsoring, events.

“[Steamfest chairman) Cr Peter Garnham came to me ­saying he badly needed a sponsor but they needed someone to ­commit for longer than 12 months,” Mr Burton said.

“We spoke about it as a family and decided this is something we would like to do.

“Maitland is so easily ­overlooked [when compared to Newcastle], yet it has such a prominent place in the state’s 

history. There was a time when Maitland was twice the size of Newcastle.

“I suppose I’m a bit of a soft touch for anything that’s ­happening in Maitland.” 

Mr Burton said buying the naming rights – which means that the steam festival will now be officially known as Maitland Toyota Steamfest – gave his business more exposure than sponsorship.

“A few years ago we sponsored the New Year’s Eve fireworks. After the night I asked many ­people who sponsored it and they said they didn’t know,” Mr Burton said.

“The only way a business can get value for money is if their name is tied to the title of the event,” he said.

Maitland Toyota financially backs a number of other events including the major pro event, the Mark Richards Classic, at Newcastle’s Surfest, as well as golf and art prizes at Hawks Nest.