Huge crowd flocks to under review Stow Horse Fair- Gloucestershire

From the Gloucestershire Echo

IT might be facing a major review, but the 536-year-old Stow Horse Fair still drew a huge crowd yesterday.

As more than 600 people lined the stalls yesterday, Walter Henry, one of the organisers of the fair for the last 20 years, said the traditional fair could not close or move because it had massive support.

The fair kicked off to tremendous fanfare despite the poor weather.

Walter said: "It will never close and we will never budge. It's a chartered fair and has been here for more than 500 years."

He said there seemed to be an agenda to try and get the fair out of Stow because of potential trouble, but he dismissed claims that visitors were too rowdy.

He added: "We are not bad people, we just want to enjoy ourselves. It's not fair to us; Gypsies have rights as well as everyone else."

Cotswold District Council will scrutinise the way the fair is managed.

The review came after a joint call for change from the Silver Community Group and the multi agency Event Safety Advisory Group. It was set up last year by the district council to work with organisers to ensure events were safe for those attending as those affected.

The silver group comprises of members of Stow and Maugersbury Action Group, Stow Town Councillors, Maugersbury Parish Councillors, district and county councillors and the police.

Member Jenni Turner said the event was not a traditional affair, had got out of hand and required proper management.

Jim Flynn, a Traveller from Cambridge, has been coming to the event for the last two years. He said: "The atmosphere this year is very good although the weather could be better. I love it here. It's important to us."

Joseph Jones, spokesman for the Gypsy Council, called on the council to help the fair rather than hinder it. He said: "People come from all over for this fair and we can't think about shrinking or closing it. "

Mark Gregory, manager of bakery Huffkins, said: "There has been a bit of bad blood with some of the shops in the past but we've got to embrace it."