A CAMPAIGN to have Barnard Castle Meet funfair moved out of the town’s main car park is gaining momentum.
But the fair operator, backed by Meet organisers, say any move will mean the end of the fair.
Local businesses, supported by Barnard Business Guild, argue that the fair takes up almost three-quarters of the town’s off-street parking, forcing shoppers to stay away from the town.
They say they suffer extensive loss of trade during the five days of the funfair during May.
Barnard Castle Business Guild chairman Tony Woods says Morrisons, which is next to the car park, loses up to 10 per cent of its turnover at that time – and this does not include the cost of additional security and readjusting schedules.
Mr Woods is determined that there should be a debate about moving the funfair because of the impact it has on the town’s trade.
He said there are 237 off-street, long term parking spaces in Barnard Castle – 172 of them in the main car park.
He argues that the lack of parking not only affects local shoppers, but also visitors to the town.
A guild survey on the August Bank Holiday showed that 5,554 people walked past a survey point in Horse Market and of the 143 people interviewed, 115 were from out of town.
Mr Woods said: “If we apply the percentage of visitors in the sample to the total number of passers-by, we had 4,400 adult visitors for the August Bank Holiday, most of whom presumably needed somewhere to park.
“Relocating to the Demesnes would increase traffic through the town, and benefit retailers on The Bank and Newgate particularly.”
Meet organiser Thom Robinson said the Meet also attracts a number of visitors but argues that the funfair is a fundamental part of the Meet.
He said moving the fair could result in it leaving the town altogether. “The problem with going off the car park and finding that a new site is not adequate, is that it will not get back on the car park again. It is too high a risk,” he said.
“The funfair is part of the heritage of the town. We all went to the funfair when we were children and we need it now for our children. If there is any risk of losing it then I would not be prepared to add my voice to a move.”
Mr Robinson refuted claims by the guild that local shops were losing business due to the funfair taking up the car park.
“I don’t buy the argument. I have yet to be convinced that trade drops in town,” he said.
A quick survey of shops found most feel they are affected.
A spokesman for one greengrocers said almost all of its local trade is lost over the five-day period and the shop gets almost no trade from the influx of visitors.
“Nearly all my local customers do their shopping the previous weekend,” said the shop owner.
Similarly a furniture shop in Galgate receives very little footfall over the Meet weekend and said Galgate becomes deserted almost immediately after the parade.
But a butcher and a pet shop, both also in Galgate, said their businesses were completely unaffected. Most affected was a cobbler who trades in Star Yard. He said he might as well close his doors because business becomes almost non-existent.
The cobbler complained that Star Yard, which links Horse Market to the car park, becomes a target for troublemakers who also use it as a toilet.
He said: “The funfair is a total waste. It seems to attract the travelling fraternity, not local kids.”
While many shopkeepers grumble about a loss of trade when the funfair rolls into town, its operator, Ryan Crow, says it will become unviable if it is moved away from the town centre. He points to past experience in Northallerton and other towns where attendances dwindled when the funfairs were moved to the outskirts of town.
In each case the trial was abandoned after only one year and the fairs were back in the High Street the following year.
A move to the Demesnes, he said, would not only make it less accessible but bad weather could also become a major problem.
“You just don’t get the flow in a field. Why don’t they put a car park at the Demesnes?” he asked.
“It’s like having a High Street shop and asking them to move. They wouldn’t be able to survive.”
He said the fair paid for 24-hour traffic management over the five days to ensure that deliveries to shops around the car park could take place as normal.
Mr Crow said the funfair has operated in Barnard Castle for between 60 and 70 years and was operated by his father before him.
It was based on the side-street that runs parallel to Galgate before its move into the car park. He suggested it could move back there, but space might be an issue and the number of attractions may have to be reduced.
At its current position, the funfair boasts five large rides and six smaller ones. It is one of the smaller funfairs in the North East, the biggest being Newcastle Hoppings which has between 60 and 70 rides.