A family funfair in Keswick’s Fitz Park has received mixed reactions from local people, but scores of the town’s residents and visitors have enjoyed the rides and entertainment.
North East-based Turners Funfairs is set to stay at the site next to the children’s play area until Thursday, 13th August, but had to close last Monday because of heavy rain and high winds.
“The poor weather has meant it hasn’t been very busy, but it looks like that will improve this week which is good news,” said Keith Turner, one of the funfair’s owners.
“The feedback has been good, with many saying it is good for the town. It has been great to see so many kids enjoying themselves. We close at 7pm each night so we are really just a family fun fair,” he added.
However, the fair has not been welcomed by everyone in the Keswick community.
Initial reports of the music being intrusive were dealt with when Keswick mayor Paul Titley spoke to the owners and asked them to turn down the volume.
Town clerk Lynda Walker said: “There has been a mixed reaction, but we haven’t dealt with a large volume of complaints over the fair.”
She added: “The financial reality is the (town’s) parks’ trust has lost revenue from its car park and a number of events cancelled this year. Eight trustees voted in favour of allowing the fair this year.”
But Keith Richardson, of Keswick Cricket Club, had been concerned about the lack of meaningful consultation with other park user groups before the decision to host the fair was made.
He said: “Fitz Park is considered ‘the town’s park’ with Hope Park, if you like, the more commercial wing of the Keswick parks’ operation.
“I fully appreciate that the trustees face financial issues and a shortfall in maintaining our public parks, but feel that the townspeople would be increasingly supportive of our highly valued public spaces and their facilities if asked to do so through the council precept.
“At the best of times the decision taken by the park trustees, essentially Keswick Town Council, to agree to a funfair being located for a prolonged period in Fitz Park might be considered contentious. To do so in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic heightens the controversy.
“I have absolutely nothing against funfairs. But there is a time and a place and, in this instance, there is an argument that this was perhaps neither the time nor the place.”
Adam Paxon, who is chairman of Keswick Parks’ Trust stressed that the fair is a one-off event to boost finances in a year when other events have been cancelled due to COVID-19 and income from its car park reduced.
He said: “Allowing the fair will not create a precedent. We, as a trust, have acknowledged disquiet from some areas of our community.
“The £1,500 gained will go directly to Fitz Park to help meet the maintenance costs and keep the park operating at its usual high level. We have a bond from the Turners Funfairs to cover the cost of any reinstatement should it be required.”
