Horse statue to celebrate Appleby's gipsy fair ‘offensive to locals'
The Appleby Horse Fair takes place over a week in June and usually attracts up to 10,000 Roma and travellers, as well as hundreds of horse-drawn cars and 30,000 visitors.
Horses are washed and ridden in the River Eden in a tradition that has its origins in the 18th century.
In a statement submitted to the council, Mr Bowers said 'very little tangible evidence exists of the central importance of the fair to the town and its Gipsy and traveller visitors'.
He added: 'As a permanent fixture in the life of the town and the culture of Gipsies and Travellers, the Gipsy and Traveller community would like to donate a public sculpture to the town of Appleby to make this crucial part of the town's intangible heritage more tangible and visible.'
Appleby Town Council supported the proposal, as did many of those living in the town.
In total, there were 163 letters of support and 72 objections.
Councillor Andy Connell gave his blessing, but added: 'Local responses will inevitably reflect the extent to which individual residents enjoy, tolerate or resent this undoubtedly disruptive occasion.'
Planning officials said they considered the proposal 'culturally significant, both artistically and symbolically', adding: 'A large number of supportive comments have identified the sculpture as a gesture of inclusion, recognition, and heritage preservation.
'The commemorative intention behind the application is therefore fully acknowledged and respected.'
But they also warned that because of the statue's size and shiny nature it would compete with views of nearby heritage assets including the Grade I listed Church of St Lawrence and St Lawrence's Bridge.
The stallion statue is part of a series of sculptures to be erected across Britain, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.
It is not known whether the applicants will move the sculpture's location and reapply.
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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Appleby Horse Fair cleanup begins as burnt-out caravan, huge mounds of rubbish & discarded tents pile up in field
Ariel shots of the campsite showed mounds of rubbish scattered across the field MESSY WEEKEND Appleby Horse Fair cleanup begins as burnt-out caravan, huge mounds of rubbish & discarded tents pile up in field Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A HUGE clean-up operation has been launched in the aftermath of the popular Appleby Horse Fair. Tents, burnt-out caravans and sofas were left behind by thousands of travellers who attended the six-day event in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Burnt-out vans were left behind by travellers following the event Credit: LNP 9 Horse-drawn carts and caravans left behind huge trails in the mud Credit: LNP 9 Left over food and drink could be seen scattered around the field Credit: LNP Ariel shots of the campsite showed muddy trails across the fields, which were lined with mounds of rubbish. Stacks of discarded food and drinks could also be seen scattered around the area in the historic market town. Grazing horses were pictured surrounded by toppled port-a-loos and cardboard boxes following the travelling community's departure. Police tape and fences surrounded one burnt-out caravan on the campsite. It comes after a fire broke out at the 340-year-old event on Saturday afternoon. Shocking footage on social media showed smoke billowing into the sky as fire crews tackled the blaze. Clouds of black smoke also rose high above the fair as attendees watched on in horror. Many were even forced to cover their faces with jumpers and coats to avoid inhaling the toxic smoke. Stall holders then continued to dismantle their tents and tables next to the fire as it was slowly brought under control. During this time, police officers also formed a barricade in order to protect groups of people from getting close to the fire. 9 Black bags and rubbish lined the muddy trails around the site Credit: PA 9 It comes after a fire broke out at the 340-year-old event on Saturday afternoon Credit: LNP 9 It is estimated that 10,000 gypsies and travellers attend the annual event Credit: LNP It is estimated that 10,000 gypsies and travellers, as well as 30,000 other visitors, attend the fair each year. The 340-year-old fair typically features traditional music, dancing, horse riding, market stalls and horse sales. Horsemen and women have been seen riding their horses in the nearby River Eden as part of a long-held tradition. Market stalls are also propped up across the tiny town - home to around just 3,200 people - selling a variety of traditional traveller goods and horse-related products. 9 Grazing horses were pictured surrounded by cardboard boxes Credit: LNP 9 Overturned port-a-loos were among the rubbish left behind this morning Credit: LNP
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Appleby Horse Fair cleanup begins as burnt-out caravan, huge mounds of rubbish & discarded tents pile up in field
A HUGE clean-up operation has been launched in the aftermath of the popular Appleby Horse Fair. Tents, burnt-out caravans and sofas were left behind by thousands of travellers who attended the six-day event in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. 9 9 9 Ariel shots of the campsite showed muddy trails across the fields, which were lined with mounds of rubbish. Stacks of discarded food and drinks could also be seen scattered around the area in the historic market town. Grazing horses were pictured surrounded by toppled port-a-loos and cardboard boxes following the travelling community's departure. Police tape and fences surrounded one burnt-out caravan on the campsite. It comes after a fire broke out at the 340-year-old event on Saturday afternoon. Shocking footage on social media showed smoke billowing into the sky as fire crews tackled the blaze. Clouds of black smoke also rose high above the fair as attendees watched on in horror. Many were even forced to cover their faces with jumpers and coats to avoid inhaling the toxic smoke. Stall holders then continued to dismantle their tents and tables next to the fire as it was slowly brought under control. During this time, police officers also formed a barricade in order to protect groups of people from getting close to the fire. 9 9 9 It is estimated that 10,000 gypsies and travellers, as well as 30,000 other visitors, attend the fair each year. The 340-year-old fair typically features traditional music, dancing, horse riding, market stalls and horse sales. Horsemen and women have been seen riding their horses in the nearby River Eden as part of a long-held tradition. Market stalls are also propped up across the tiny town - home to around just 3,200 people - selling a variety of traditional traveller goods and horse-related products. 9 9 9
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Appleby horse fair leaves fields strewn with rubbish and burnt out van
Pictures show rubbish-strewn fields in the aftermath of the event, which saw a blaze break out as 30,000 people descended on the sleepy market town of Appleby-in-Westmorland in Cumbria A huge clean-up operation is underway after tens of thousands attended the Appleby Horse Fair this weekend. Pictures show rubbish-strewn fields in the aftermath of the festival, including the burnt-out remains of a white van after it was engulfed in a blaze on Saturday, which also destroyed a nearby stall. The gathering, said to be the biggest traditional gypsy fair in Europe, saw around 10,000 people from the Gypsy and traveller community flock to the market town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. The event drew 30,000 visitors between June 6 and 12 as spectators lined the streets to watch travellers, some just children, race along the narrow streets at breakneck speed while others rode horses through the water. Now new pictures show the full extent of the cleanup operation in the aftermath of the weekend's festivities, with fields covered with rubbish and charred remains following a fire. Images posted on social media captured the blaze, as crowds gathered watching smoke billow across the fair. Footage shows a fire blazing in a white van which had been set up alongside a stall and tables in one corner of the field. Revellers watched on in horror as smoke billowed around the van and stall, engulfing a nearby tent as onlookers covered their faces - with some braving the flames to move belongings out of harm's way. An explosion caused some would-be rescuers to step back however, as others rushed to dismantle a nearby white tent while flames completely consumed the nearby van. The crowd whooped and cheered as fire crews arrived on the scene, the video clips show, with the inferno brought under control by emergency crews on Saturday afternoon. Other footage showed cops investigating stalls at the fair, showing seven officers at work among the traders. Cumbria Police officers were reportedly supporting Westmorland and Furness Council Trading Standards, who last year seized more than £500,000 worth of counterfeit goods. Despite the fire and soggy weather the spirits of the attendees remained undampened, with festival goers flocking to the tiny town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, which see's its normal population of just 3,000 people increase be a factor of 10 each year with the fair's arrival. The event originated in the 1770s, with sheep, cattle and horse dealers meeting to sell their stock. By the 1900s, it had evolved into a gathering which has since become hugely popular with travellers.
