Centuries old twice yearly fairs in a Cambridgeshire town could come to an end after the National Trust banned them from use of a car park. The 220 space car park at Chapel Road in Wisbech has been leased to the local council for 60 years but the National Trust refuses to renew it unless it contains a clause banning fairs.
It would mean an end to the Mart and Statute fairs – held in March and September – unless the Showmen’s Guild can find an alternative venue.
And that could be difficult, Fenland District Council Cabinet was told.
The car park is a minute’s walk from the National Trust’s historic Peckover House in Wisbech and is out of use for visitors whilst the fairs are in town.
The Showmen’s Guild use Chapel Road car park for the fair and with the council’s consent part of Somers Road car park in the town for their trailers and caravans.
There is no public parking during this time in Chapel Road car park and limited spaces in Somers Road.
The Mart and Statute Fairs have been long been a tradition in the town but the National Trust’s decision to ban both fairs has put their future in doubt unless the local council can find an alternative venue.
The row only became public after negotiations by Fenland District Council and the National Trust to renew the lease were reported to councillors.
The 60 year lease expired on March 24 this year and for now Fenland Council “occupy the site by way of a tenancy at will,” councillors were told.
Protracted negotiations with the National Trust failed to reach “a satisfactory conclusion”
“The red line position was to be a lease of 30 years without the fairs the extended term being required due to the level of capital investment required at the site,” said a report to Cabinet.
Councillors were told that “following a protracted start to discussions requiring the intervention of the chairman of the Trust substantive progress has now been made and the terms now presented are reflective of this”.
“As previously reported in many respects the car park has reached the end of its design life and regular repairs are undertaken year on year to patch repair, reline or replace damaged fencing and will require substantial capital investment in the medium term to preserve the facility in a safe condition.”
Under the agreement Fenland Council will secure a new lease, with a break clause, but with strict conditions that include parking of cars only, with no camping, no overnight stays and “holding any fairs on the premises are strictly prohibited”.
Officers reported that whilst discussions had secured a 30 year lease, longer than originally offered term to allow for improvement works, “they remain adamant that the ban on the use for fairs will remain”.
Fenland Council estimates the full refurbishment to be around £750,000 but given the length of the new lease and “given capital restrictions this work will need to be undertaken on a piecemeal basis over a number of years, as and when required or when capital availability permits”.
Deputy council leader Jan French said discussions had stalled until “a final attempt to try and persuade the trust to relent and be more amicable to the requests of the leader and the chief executive the council sent a joint letter to the chairman of the trust seeking his assistance”.
She said: “This approach does appear to have borne fruit, and the local trust estates team have now made significant movement on the terms proposed.”
Cllr Sam Hoy said of the issue between the Showmen’s Guild and the National Trust “it’s kind of not our business to get involved. But if I was the Showmen’s Guild I would be challenging them on that because they’ve been there many years and they’ve got the statute saying they’re allowed to have fairs.
“But I guess that’s not our battle to have so we’ll have to leave that to them I suppose.”
She said council officers had discussed with the Showmen’s Guild the future for fairs in the town “and obviously we’d like to reassure the public and the guild that we do still want to continue having fairs in Wisbech.
“I know officers have approached the Showmen’s Guild and offered some sites, but I don’t think we should be offering any sites until we’ve spoken with local members and also the public because I don’t want to lead the Showman’s Guild down a path that we potentially can’t deliver on any sites.”
She said three alternative sites were being considered “and all three sites suggested have obviously pluses and minuses and I just think we need to explore that
“I’m conscious of time because they are due back in March, but I think by the end of January we should be able to be in a position to give them a location.
“But I would stress that I don’t think officers should be given them a position until members and local people have said their preference because fairs can be controversial as well as a positive.”
Cllr Steve Tierney said the Chapel Road car park “plays a prime role in things like the doctor’s surgery and some of the more local shops and some of the sporting facilities.
“There’s a lot around that area that people need to park there for and it’s often busy and it’s well used.
“And we did run a risk of losing it and that would have been no fault of ours but would be would have been a bad outcome
“I remain concerned about the fair I do think the fair is important to Wisbech. I really value the Showmen’s Guild, and I think it’s a tradition we definitely don’t want to lose, and we must fight to make sure we don’t.
“But I agree that we do need to consult with the public because there aren’t many places the fair can go, and all of those places are going to have people who support and people who don’t support and whatever decision we make is not going to please everyone.
“If we if we chose not to have the fair anymore that would also displease a lot of people, so we have to consult with the public and get a good idea of what is best supported and then I think try and work to make that happen.”
In their report to Cabinet, councillors were told: “We believe from discussions with officers that the Showmen’s Guild are taking independent legal advice on the legality of the use ban and will pursue this matter on their own accord.
“Should the Guild be successful in their legal challenge then FDC would be able to approach the Trust for a variation of the lease terms to re-instate the fairs use in the lease at that time.”
“Officers from the Estates, Engineering and Markets and Events teams have met on site to start analysis of suitable alternative locations within Wisbech that could be used as alternative locations for the fair.
“Sites currently under consideration include: • Somers Road car park • Church Terrace car park • Wisbech Park
“Whilst the Showmen’s Guild initially dismissed the suggestion of alternative sites further discussions have resulted in an agreement to assess other options in full.
“This may mean a different fair offering, for example fewer or different rides.”
“Engineering colleagues are preparing detailed plans of the sites outlining available areas and clearly delineating protected access rights, emergency access routes and other protected assets.
“These plans will be shared with the Showmen’s Guild so they can assess the suitability of each site for their use. “
The council today began a two week consultation to possibly relocate the fair.
The options are:
- Church Terrace car park (also referred to locally as St Peter’s Church car park)
- Somers Road car park
- Wisbech Park
“The Market Place has not been put forward as a viable option as it is not big enough to accommodate the funfair,” said a council spokesperson.
A two-week consultation has now been launched. To share your views, visit: www.fenland.gov.uk/WisbechFunfairRelocation
The consultation closes on Friday 13 December.
