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BBC News
17-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ilkeston Charter Fair set to be extended
Plans to extend a town's four-day fair, believed to be one of the longest-running in Europe, have been Charter Fair, in Derbyshire, was established by Henry III in 1252 and is set to return in fair sees rides and stalls take over the town centre with a royal charter read out by the mayor at the official Showmen's Guild made a formal request last year to Erewash Borough Council for rides to continue for one extra day, which the authority said would "bring additional economic and cultural value to the borough". The fair currently runs from Wednesday to Saturday but would be extended to Sunday this year, with opening hours from 13:00 to 20: to a council report, the Showmen's Guild has proposed a "quiet time" on the extra day where the lights and music from the rides will be switched off between 13:00 to 14:30 to make the fair "more inclusive and reduce noise pollution". 'Rejuvenate the economy' Residents were consulted over the proposal last year with the majority supporting the permanent authority, which has helped run the event since 1974, said: "The Charter Fair has been taking place in Ilkeston for over 750 years and delivers a rich cultural tradition during October of entertainment to the people of Erewash."The extension will deliver the corporate strategy aims to rejuvenate the local economy through bringing additional footfall into the town centre during the week of the fair and supporting our communities."The council added the change requires approval from the home secretary once they have received representation showing it should go ahead "for the convenience and advantage of the public".A previous plan to extend the fair was rejected by the council in 2019.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Cost of holding King's Lynn Mart rises by 15%
The organisers of a centuries-old funfair say rising energy and insurance bills have contributed to a 15% increase in King's Lynn Mart started off as trading fair in the Norfolk town more than 800 years ago and would attract visitors from all over it is a modern funfair, covering the town's Tuesday Market Place every of thousands of visitors are expected over the nine-day event, which opens on Friday. Nipper Appleton, 83, chair of the Eastern regional section of the Showmen's Guild, said there was "a limit to how high you can go because you mustn't out-price your public". "This particular year everybody is feeling the pinch," he said."It costs us quite a lot of money to put the mart on."It escalates quickly. The fuel bills, the rent costs, our insurance and our testing fees." The Mart has a "children's day" on 17 February where rides are discounted to ensure locals can afford a day out. Up to 15,000 people are expected to visit the funfair if the weather is Appleton said the 50 families who run the Mart had a two-day window to transform the Tuesday Market place into a fun fair."We do work together, we'll work late into the evening as well to make it happen," he said. This year's event also aims to connect the modern fair with its original steam engine which was used to power rides on the Mart 100 years ago will be on show. The Burrell showman's road locomotive has spent the past six years being restored by Dave Roberts from The Saunders Collection and his thousands of hours of work this will be the first time the engine has been back on the road travelling from Thetford to King's Lynn to be displayed. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
