[T]he second day of Appleby Fair Friday 9 June 2017 enjoyed better weather and the friendly positive atmosphere continued.
Overnight there were few incidents, with the overwhelming majority of people enjoying the Fair in good spirits.
The Community Advisory Group had their second meeting last night in Appleby, with members attending from both the local and travelling communities to discuss the Fair so far and to provide feedback for the Multi Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group (MASCG) who work to improve the safety of the Fair each year.
The feedback again was generally positive, with only minor concerns raised.
Dr Robin Hooper, Chair of MASCG and Chief Executive of Eden District Council said: “The weather improved yesterday, but the outlook for the weekend is for the wet weather to return, so we ask people attending or travelling to the Fair to check the forecast, wear suitable clothing and drive according to the road conditions. The RSPCA continue to do excellent work and with MASCG are monitoring the level or water in the river closely, to ensure it is safe for horse washing to take place using the river ramp along The Sands.
“We ask people attending the Fair this weekend to respect the town and the local community and to use the bins provided or take your rubbish home with you.”
Billy Welch, a Gypsy and Traveller representative on MASCG, said: “The Fair continues to have a great atmosphere and despite the wet weather people are really enjoying themselves. I would like to thanks all the public agencies and the RSPCA for their continued hard work at this year’s Fair. If you are coming to the Fair please use your common sense around horses to avoid the possibility of injury.”
Temporary Chief Superintendent Mark Pannone of Cumbria Police, said: “The 2nd day of the Fair passed with only a few minor issues to deal with. The majority of people are enjoying the Fair and public safety remains at the forefront of all the public agencies work. We again remind people visiting the Fair to use their common sense and be aware of fast-moving horses, particularly in the flashing lane, Sands and Battlebarrow.
“Today we ask people who are in The Sands area when the road closure reopens from 6pm to head back to Fair Hill and the other authorised encampment areas with their horses, rather than heading into the town centre. This will help improve public safety and we thank people for their support with this issue.
“We ask motorist travelling around the Appleby area to drive with caution, to please slow down and allow more time for your journeys especially as wet weather is forecast for the weekend and people may be leaving the Fair earlier than anticipated.”
The RSPCA again asks that people do not bring dogs to the Fair due to the possible impact on horses.
RSPCA Chief Inspector Rob Melloy said: “We had to rescue two dogs from a vehicle yesterday, because the animals’ owners brought their dogs to the Fair and then realised that it was not a suitable events for them. So I repeat the same advice, do not bring dogs to the Fair. Dogs can result in hoses becoming “spooked”, which makes their behaviour unpredictable and can lead to injuries. Leaving dogs in cars or any enclosed spaces where the temperature can rise dramatically in a short space of time will have tragic results. We always urge people not to leave dogs in cars and not to bring them to Appleby Fair in the first place.”
Please keep up to date with the latest messages about Appleby Fair at www.applebyfair.org or via Twitter @Applebyfair or Facebook.
