A new site is being considered to host Goose Fair, following discussions over the status of the 2021 Goose Fair event.
The Showman’s Guild, the organisers responsible for putting Goose Fair on, have overwhelmingly opposed plans to have a border and fee for entry to the event, suggesting they would rather move to a new location entirely.
William Percival, the chairman of Nottinghamshire Showman’s Guild, speaking exclusively to Nottingham Post said: “The members said if we can’t agree to something that suits all parties then we don’t go, simple as that.
“We have too much to lose. At the moment it’s a stalemate. We’re waiting for a meeting with the politicians.
“As things are at the moment we’re not backing down and it may be the case that in the future we look for a private site. We might be taking it out of the council’s hands.
“What they don’t realise is we are the Goose Fair. All they have is a big piece of land that we pay them a lot of money for. Without the showmen there is no Goose Fair”.
Goose Fair is traditionally held at the Nottingham City Council-owned Forest Recreation Centre. Unless, the parties agree on a solution that accommodates the needs for the next event, the Showmen’s Guild is considering a completely different location in the future.
Mr Percival said: “If there is someone with a large site we may be coming to you to hold the Goose Fair in future – I’m not saying we’ll do it this year but we’ll see what the council say.”
The fair has been held at Forest Recreation Ground each year since 1928, after having moved from Old Market Square once the Council House was built.
A meeting scheduled to take place on 2 August was cancelled after key members of the council were unable to attend.
Mr Percival added: “Any meeting we need to discuss this year’s Goose Fair we need politicians there so they know what’s happening as much as the officers do.
“We’re waiting to see what they come back with. Time is ticking on and we’re not getting any further forward.
At a three-hour “heated” meeting, the showmen ruled out any further discussions with the council officers about a paying gate but did agree to extending the fair to ten days and paying a percentage of rent for the extra days.
“110% we are not allowing Goose Fair to put a fence around and to charge members of the public to come to their fair. It’s Nottingham people’s fair.
“I have been instructed not to talk to the officers about this fence charge. It’s done and dusted and finished. The showmen are not going to accept it and that’s it.”
Allowing a fence to go up and charging an entry fee would set a dangerous precedent, said Mr Percival, for every Goose Fair from there on and other fairs up and down the country.
“If you fence Goose Fair there’s a lot of negatives to it. Who is to say everybody’s going to go in that queue? You’ll get small minorities thinking they can pull the fence down and get in that way or will be climbing over it. It’s just impossible. There’s that many ways onto that site I can’t think how many security men you’d have to have.
“And how are you going to go on if you are going to limit it to so many for so many hours? How are you going to get the people out to let the next lot in? It’s just not viable.
“And if you have 20,000 on that site – the site can swallow 20,000 no problem – what are you going to do with the other 20,000 outside waiting to come in. It’s a no brainer. It can’t work.
“I wouldn’t like to be the person who says to those 20,000 people I’m afraid your time’s up you’ve got to leave now.”
Concerns were raised as to the viability of a perimeter fence for stallholders and traders at the fair.
Mr Percival said: “There are that many entrances where people have got stalls and they take their money when people are coming into the fair or leaving the fair. If there’s a fence they might as well not be there. There’s a lot more to this than people think.”
Nottingham City Council Leader David Mellen, speaking to the BBC said: “We put forward the option of fencing off-site to enable vaccine passport checks, while covering the costs of this and extra security through a small entry charge. Following feedback from Guild members, I can confirm this is no longer being considered.”
A Nottingham City Council spokesperson added: “We are continuing to work collaboratively with the guild to explore all options to stage Goose Fair this year after the disappointment of last year and we have a further meeting scheduled with them. We expect to reach a decision later this month.”
