Memorandum by The Showmen's Guild of Great
Britain, Lancashire, Cheshire & North Wales Section (TF 19)
1. The continued value of historic travelling
fairs
Historic travelling fairs are important to the
livelihood of Showmen and must be taken into consideration when
redevelopment is planned. They are part of the English heritage
and objections to their being moved out of towns, must be made
most strongly, as such moves would be a danger to our community
and way of life if sites cease to exist.
2. Provision of sites for travelling fairs
Where fairs are held annually in parks and recreation
grounds and the ground is lost for one reason or another, we need
to be involved from day one so as to have input into changes.
We have had problems with the following local authoritiesBolton
MBC which involved a Court case which the Section won, as we proved
that we had spent money on the site. Bury MBC where we had a ground
which we understood was to be the permanent site for our Charter
Fairs and into which we invested a lot of money, and which Bury
MBC sold in 1999. After much work and many protests by local shop-keepers
etc, we have been given a site in the Town Centre but this is
now only on the basis that either side can give three months notice,
before the fair is due to be held, cancelling the fair. We obtained
legal advice on this matter. Problems have arisen in Preston where
it would appear that there is some resistance to Fairs. It would
appear that some Boroughs are trying to price fairs out by raising
rents by considerable amounts, without giving a Lessee chance
to negotiate, also that Officers of some local authorities are
anti fairs.
3. Needs of travelling showpeople in carrying
out their trade
Showpeople need a "home" base where
they can maintain and repair equipment in order to comply with
Health and Safety requirements.
4. Effectiveness of existing planning guidance
A large number of our members have had problems
with regard to obtaining permanent residential sites. Such sites
are needed in order that our members can carry out their business,
ie maintenance and repair of vehicles, also a base for children
of school age. It would appear that every time a Showman submits
planning application that every Tom, Dick and Harry objects on
the flimsiest of grounds. Indeed several of the sites proposed
by Showmen have been scrap yards, so it would seem that if planning
permission were given, the sites would only be improved. In effect
it seems that Planning Guidance Circular 22/91 is not sufficiently
strong, and consultation with legal consultants who are familiar
with dealing with Showmen's appeals regarding sites need to take
place. Such discussion will give detailed information of the parts
of the Circular which are not working. This Circular needs to
be strengthened considerably.
5. Whether action is necessary to ensure
that appropriate regard is had to the needs of travelling showpeople
within the planning system
All local authorities/elected Council members,
should be informed of the special needs of travelling Showmen
within a planning system. Indications at the present time are
that Showmen are content to put up with substandard sites as we
are not part of "their community."
J Collins
Chairman
February 2000
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