Egremont Crab Fair organisers said this year’s event made a £17,000 loss and are urgently pleading for support.
Volunteer organisers of the 756-year-old fair, which took place on September 19 and September 20, had to battle heavy rain. Weather warnings were also in place.
It resulted in fewer visitors than normal to the fair.
The event is run by a voluntary committee and relies completely on fundraising to go ahead – but for the full fair to go ahead next year, organisers said they are in urgent need of financial support.
This year alone, the fair cost £59,000 to put on – which covers everything from booking acts and entertainers for the Dancing in the Street event, fair field and main street, to road closure fees, licencing, and more.
Committee chairman Callum Scott said: “We’ve made a huge loss due to the wet weather, there was very little people up on the field because of it and our gate money to get on the field was severely down and our beer tent sales were down too.
“We had our mop up meeting last week and obviously there was a lot of big bills as there is each year, and with the money left over, we’ve made a £17,000 loss.
“So while we’re starting to plan for next year’s fair now, on top of that planning, we have got to do some serious fundraising and we urgently need some sponsors to come forward.
“If we don’t get any income, stuff like the Friday night’s Dancing in the Street will be axed completely, because it’s a free event and it costs us quite a lot to put on.”
People and businesses in a position to help sponsor the fair are being urged to come forward before April, which is when the committee normally starts booking acts for its free Dancing in the Street event.
Callum added: “Everything that’s on Main Street, there’s no income generated through that.
“But there’s all the insurances, licensing fees, and road closure fees in the background to cover and that runs into the thousands.
“Our main income is from gate money for entry to the fair field and from beer tent sales.
“We can make savings with other stuff next year, but we’d have to cut back and put on a much reduced crab fair until the time comes where we have a good year and we can build back up again.”
Callum said that the fair had been very slowly recovering following the Covid pandemic and the death of the Queen, both of which saw the fair cancelled for three years in a row.
He added: “Since Covid really it has been a struggle to get any kind of sponsorship and we’re still recovering from the year we cancelled when the Queen died.
“Had this year been a dry sunny day we would have been back to normal, instead we’ve taken a big hit.”
Callum said that the committee is looking for sponsors of all sizes and individuals are also welcome to do their own fundraisers to help support it.
In the past, big sponsors have included Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and Golden Palace Casino.
He added: “It doesn’t matter how big or small, everything helps and we’re grateful for everyone who helps fundraise for us.
“There is interested from right around the world in the fair and the gurning, so any sponsors and donors will be out there for the world to see that they’ve supported and donated to it and will have their name on all the promotional material.
“It’s a traditional fair that has been running for 756 years and we want to preserve it and keep it going.”
Anyone interested in helping the fair organisers can get in touch with Callum via 077519 413231.
You can find out more about ways to donate to support the fair here.
