Not everybody likes Abingdon Fair.
It causes problems for people living in roads nearby, and people having to get through town.
That is apart from our road, West St Helen Street, where for once in the year there is no traffic. East St Helen Street gets all the traffic for a change.
People say that it would be better off in a field out of town. I dare say but on a day like today – after all the rain – a field would be muddy.
There seemed to be a lot of policemen and security men about today. Some years there is trouble. Better safe than sorry.
There were fairly good crowds tonight, despite the rain. I think the pressure to down-size Abingdon Fair is more likely to come from the fair operator. They must need to make money to attract the big rides.
Abingdon Fair does after all happen about the same time as Nottingham Goose Fair.
Anyway, for people who do suffer from the traffic or lack or parking, just one day more, then it will be gone again quicker than it came. My kids have grown up so for me there is less chance to go on rides, but I still enjoy the bright lights, the atmos fear, and the donuts.
We love it, despite living within hearing distance. We went at teatime, and they were giving good long rides for the money at that time! My only complaint is that sometimes the music is so loud and the vibration from it so much it makes you feel sick even just standing watching (Waltzers in particular. My daughter is the ride-goer these days, and I spectate apart from a spin on the lovely carousel).
I hate the rides but love the fair. Jut watching them makes me feel queasy. So the fair operators do not make a fortune out of me – except via my children.
It would be a shame if the fair was downsized, despite the clash with the goose fair. Surely the UK contains enough rides for two major funfairs at once?
As a relative newcomer I just love the excitement of this Fair. It reminds me of the Horse Fair we used to have when I lived in Yarm-on-Tees. Another small ancient town just like Abingdon – and the fair was situated on the High Street in the same way.
I don’t mind the noise or the inconvenience since it is nice to keep up traditions in this plastic world we live in. Living close to the big MacDonalds I am more irritated by the the year long nuisance of fast food litter strewn around.
When the original charter was granted it was a small hiring fair. It certainly has grown since then. I went into town yesterday and thought I was glad that I did not live along Ock Street as the music was very loud. I don’t think that an alternative suitable venue could be found
Please don’t touch such an old tradition.
people are too quick to want to change what has been going on for years and years just because it doesn’t fit in with thier “modern” lives. Let traditions stand, let the kids (and adults) enjoy 2 days out of 365 in the year. Those that buy on Ock Street are well aware that they will have some disruption for a couple of days.
I live on Ock St., not through choice (Simonw), I was placed here by VoWHDC Housing Allocation office after completing 50 years of employment of which the last 33 years were in tied accommodation. I had been on the Housing Register for 22 years and was offered a place on Ock St., of which I had to take as my employer was forcing me out on retirement.
I quite like living here, have got used to the traffic noise – BUT the fair is something else. This year the noise seems to be really excessive with a brain-dead idiot bawling on the Tannoy system (does it have to be THAT loud?) right outside my home. The noise is penetrating through double glazing and shut doors. Normally if the doors are closed at least I can have some peace in the living room, not so this year.
I also get annoyed seeing all the baseball cap wearing morons, lowlife, wasters, scrounging plebs spending their benefit money on the fair.
Tradition has nothing to do with this fair it is all about fleecing the general public to satisfy a few councillors & the like, plus self proclaimed traditionalist’s some of whom regularly contribute to this blog.
p.s. Say ‘Hello’ to Harry for me.
Amy, I’m sorry the fair is so noisy for you (I’m in East St Helen’s so just far enough away…)
However, the rides have been coming for at least 130 years as Victorian photos testify. I don’t like them (or even the donuts) but I find the atmosphere worth going to see – everyone goes, from the baseball-capped to Abingdon schoolboys. It’s one of those special Abingdon things, like bun-throwing. It’s soooo long when you have to thread your way through and I love the way that St Nic’s peeps out behind the last ride by the museum.
It will disappear tomorrow.. just one more night!
Rachel – I think you have missed my point. I know for a fact that not everyone goes, there are numerous people who share my view.
the fair is part of abingdon – it’s been around before any of us and will still be here when we are all dead and gone.
i do agree however that they should have to obey noise regulations – i wonder what the law actually says in that regard?
I enjoyed the fair yesterday. As a spectator, watching the person I was with go on a ride. With the amount of strobe lights, many rides were excluded from her enjoying them.
We made a hasty exit as it got dark, even walking through the fair, the lights got a bit overpowering for me…at the same times the crowding in some areas, as the queues for some of the rides stretched accross the road/streets…
One thing brought to my attention, Before the Fair, a delivery of ‘discount tickets’ promising either 50p off a ride, or 50% off others. Use during the day only, the only rides which honoured them The Waltzers/Gallopers…all the others used the ‘Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers’. Apparently daytime stalls are cheaper, (the larger rides are not operating). So a bit of a con..
The use of sub woofers to ‘enhance’ the rides. right next to the housing. It rattled me.