Hereford receives May Fair boost (From Ledbury Reporter)
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Hereford receives May Fair boost
12:33pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News
HEREFORD’S historic May Fair will be held in the city for at least another seven years.
The annual attraction, held in the city centre in the three days after May Bank Holiday Monday, has been staged since 1121.
A signing ceremony was held at Hereford Town Hall where the Showman’s Guild extended the fair’s stay here.
“I am very pleased that the Guild is taking up the new contract for the next seven years,” said Abie Danter, chair of the South Wales and Northern Ireland branch of the Showman’s Guild.
“It gives the members of the Guild something they can rely on.
“This is a major event in the showman’s calendar and something that I have been looking forward to signing. This seven year contract gives us greater stability and encourages other members of the Guild to invest in the business which means we can buy more new rides.”
Known as St Ethelbert’s Fair, the event used to last nine days but was cut to three in 1838 when an Act of Parliament was passed requiring the city council to pay the county bishop twelve-and-a-half bushels of wheat in payment for using the streets as a fairground - a tradition still carried out.
