Vintage funfair hopes to ride on with new owner

A traditional English travelling funfair which has been running for 45 years making regular appearances in the West finishes its final tour at the end of this month.

Carters Steam Fair, which runs at Reading’s Prospect Park until October 30 and appeared in Bath only a few weeks ago, is up for sale with the hope of finding a permanent site and a new owner.

The fair, which featured in the films Rocketman and Paddington 2, has vintage rides and games including chair-o-plane, dodgems and a coconut shy.

All of the rides, dating from the 1890s to 1960s, have been restored to their original style.

Joby Carter, 47, who manages the fair and has worked on it since he was a child, said that the decision to sell up had been “a long time coming”.

Mr Carter, above, said: “We’re not taking it lightly because I live and breathe the fair. I love it. But the pandemic came along and I was introduced to these things called weekends. I got to see my family more and I did reasonable hours in the day. It showed me a different way of life.”

The funfair began in 1977 when Mr Carter’s parents bought an 1895 Jubilee Steam Gallopers ride. They then added more rides.