Horse fair Historic event gets go-ahead as Covid rate falls
STOW Horse Fair has been given the go-ahead as coronavirus cases fall across the county. The historic gathering of the traveller community was cancelled twice last year as infections across the county soared.
Council officials and police who make up a Safety Advisory Group have concluded the popular event no longer poses a health risk to the community.
But some people have voiced their concerns about such a large gathering amid fears it could push up infections.
The event usually takes place on the nearest Thursday to May 12, which this year will be today, May 13.
A Gloucestershire County Council spokesman - on behalf of the Safety Advisory Group (senior officers from Public Health, Cotswolds District Council and Gloucestershire Constabulary) - said: “Having reviewed the organiser’s risk assessments we reached a collective view that adequate Covid-19 prevention arrangements were being proposed.
“Covid Regulations can only be used to legally stop an event going ahead if there is deemed to be a significant and imminent risk to public health and the use of the legislation would be a proportionate step to take.
“Based on the information provided by the organisers and extremely low infection rates there is insufficient evidence to warrant action under the regulations.
“Officers from Cotswold District Council and the police, supported by Covid support officers, will be on site throughout the event to monitor compliance. Testing will also be available in the area.”
Cotswold District councillor for Stow, Maugersbury and the Swells,
Officers from Cotswold District Council and the police, supported by Covid support officers, will be on site throughout the event to monitor compliance. Testing will also be available Gloucestershire County Council
Dilys Neil, said she understood the community’s fears about it going ahead.
She said: “We all know the importance of Stow Fair for the travelling community, and we know that, sadly, both events last year needed to be cancelled due to the high levels of Covid19 still being transmitted within the community - as did many other events in our county.
“It is completely understandable that many in our community are worried about the sudden influx of hundreds of visitors, travelling from across the country, and potentially bringing cases of Covid-19 with them - just as we are seeing businesses reopen and life return to near-normality.”
The Fair at Stow, which takes place twice a year, dates back almost five hundred years, originally it began as a sheep fair for the Cotswold wool trade but evolved into selling other animals. It is a key event in the traveller, gipsy and Romany calendars and normally attracts visitors from across the country.