Latest news with #streetvendors
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hundreds of travellers flock to 800-year-old horse fair as street races close down town and rubbish piles up
FLOCKS of travellers have descended on a quiet town for an 800-year-old horse fair - causing roads, shops and pubs to shut. Pictures show the crowds swarming through the usually sleepy streets of Wickham, which only has a population of 2,000. 10 10 10 10 Horses of all breeds and colours have been pictured outside of homes and pubs ready for trading in Hampshire. Caravans and horse boxes are scattered around the town instead of cars, as all the roads were closed for the event. Traveller families are believed to have started to gather for the Wickham Horse Fair since 1269. Scenes at the yearly fair usually sees people flying down the street as they participate in street horse races. Others parade ponies down the road in a bid to find a willing buyer. Roads are packed with stalls and street vendors selling everything and anything. It is customary for the event to take place on May 20 - except when it falls on a Sunday. What is the Wickham Horse Fair? Wickham Horse Fair has been held in The Square in Wickham, Fareham, for almost 800 years. As is tradition, this year's fair is being held on Monday, May 20. It is customary for the event to take place on May 20 - except when it falls on a Sunday. 2022 saw it's official return following Covid lockdown restrictions. However, an unauthorised gathering took place in 2021 – with people selling, racing and admiring ponies as well as enjoying a funfair. It was back in full force for 2023 with spectacular traditional horse racing on display. The horse fair has been taking place since 1269, which is almost 800 years ago - making it one of the oldest horse fairs in the country. The Wickham Horse Fair traces its origins back to when Roger De Syres obtained a royal charter from King Henry III to have a weekly market in 1269. Over the years this morphed into an annual fair. The Wickham Horse Fair traces its origins back to when Roger De Syres obtained a royal charter from King Henry III to have a weekly market in 1269. Over the years this morphed into an annual fair. Some locals love the famous tradition, but others aren't so happy. Already, piles of rubbish have started to form from the fair. Over the last week, other villages have also played host to travellers looking to attend. Last year, locals blasted the historic fair as "shameful" due to the litter left behind. The high street was left caked in manure, bins overflowed with rubbish and cans of booze littered the pavements. Pub benches were covered in trash, unwanted food and empty alcohol bottles. Discarded cardboard boxes could also be seen pilled up while plastic bags were scattered along the picturesque roads. 10 10 10 10 10
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Taunton Town Council to take over power bill for street vendors
A town council will take over the cost to supply street vendors with electricity after traders petitioned to save their businesses from an enforced power Town Council decided at a council meeting on Tuesday that it will take on the cost for electricity for street traders in Taunton from March 2026. Until then, Somerset Council will cover the comes after Somerset Council said it could no longer afford the annual £31,000 bill and threatened to turn off the power supply in Fore of the town council Tom Deakin said: "This initiative not only addresses the needs of our hardworking vendors but also contributes to the vibrancy and footfall in our town centre." A petition to stop the electricity being switched off gained more than 1,400 signatures after being launched by eight businesses earlier this Frost, who has traded for 20 years in Taunton, said at the time: "As I think you can see from the petition, we are wanted in the town."We got a lot of support so that was really nice."In response, Taunton Town Council has formally agreed to invest in electricity points at various locations in the town Deakin said: "By encouraging and enabling these types of business to continue trading in Taunton, we are fostering a lively and dynamic environment, attracting both residents and visitors, boosting local businesses and enhancing the overall community experience."
CBS News
14-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Stockton moves to rescind street vendor ordinance, will seek public input
STOCKTON — The Stockton City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to start from scratch, pulling a street vendor ordinance off its agenda. After public outcry, the city is looking for new solutions and will seek public input. Stockton Vice Mayor Lee says the city wants to move forward in the right way. "The decision by the council was not to just go back to the legislative committee to have a conversation where staff can look further into the details," he said. "But also to direct staff to have more community meetings so we can address them and the misinformation that's out there." Councilmembers Michael Blower and Mario Enriquez are both in support of looking into other solutions. Another solution could be to use an area on Telstar Place that has been recently approved for review by the city's planning commission to potentially become a food truck park. "They approved a dedicated spot for vendors in north Stockton, and this is the beginning of what we could have in our city," said Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi. The city's ordinance, as it reads now, is outdated. State law says cities cannot ban vendors from parks entirely or from sidewalks, but the city is trying to find a balance. Some people who were in support of this ordinance say they want to see street vendors go through more permitting or licensing processes. Vice Mayor Lee says multiple districts are now looking into having their own town hall community meetings for vendors in their area.
The Herald
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Interacting with readers a highlight for street vendors
The Herald's street vendors are a familiar sight throughout Nelson Mandela Bay — and they love it when customers make their day with a joke or some wise words. Romano Dickenson, 38, of Helenvale, has been a vendor since a very young age and said the favourite part of his job was what he learnt from people who stopped to buy a copy of the newspaper from him where he operates in the northern areas of Cleary Estate and Salsoneville. 'The best part of my job is meeting different people and communicating with them. It's often like a motivational speech,' he said with a big grin. 'Of course, you do get some grumpy people sometimes who are not having a good day perhaps. 'But mainly I just love it when people try to make my day by making me laugh or telling me something that gets me going and motivates me.' His colleague, Alvero Louwskieter, 29, who used to be a vendor at the Cleary Park taxi rank but now works in delivery, agreed with him. 'I just love the interaction with people,' he said, adding that he first started vending some 10 years ago. The Herald
