Council defends 'utterly bonkers' decision to allow funfair
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 3:41 pm
Some other councils have cancelled funfairs in light of the 'rule of six' restrictions
A councillor has branded a decision to permit a funfair during tighter Covid rules as “utterly bonkers” – but the council has defended the move.
Cllr Allan Andrews believes Coventry City Council should have postponed Barker’s Amusements’ funfair at Hearsall Common in Earlsdon - a two-week event which began last Friday – in light of heightened ‘rule of six’ restrictions.
Funfair bosses confirmed a string of safety measures had been implemented for a ‘safe and fun environment’.
Southampton City Council, Salisbury City Council and Scarborough Borough Council are among authorities which have pulled the plug on popular funfairs this week due to the latest coronavirus rule changes, but Coventry City Council has not followed suit.
Coventry City Council gave the attraction the nod at the end of July but Cllr Andrews – who challenged it again last week at full council – believes the decision is “inconsistent” with Covid-19 messages at a time stricter rules on gatherings have come into place, with positive cases in the West Midlands also rising.
The council said government guidelines permit funfairs and that the organisers have a set of clear Covid-19 safety measures including track and trace, while the organisers themselves have moved to reassure visitors and say the event is a “safe environment”.
Whilst having “no doubt” the operators will enforce measures, Cllr Andrews believes it should have been postponed to send out a clear message to residents on gatherings.
“If I was part of the ruling group I would have been saying this cannot go ahead in the current climate,” Cllr Andrews, councillor for Earlsdon and opposition deputy leader, said.
“You cannot be asking people to make certain sacrifices with the new rule of six and then saying people can go to a funfair. It feels odd and inconsistent.
“I have no doubt the operators have done what they can to make sure it is secure.
“The safety advisers have said no to some events. You cannot have the Park Run but you can have a fun fair – it seems to me to be utterly bonkers.
“We have to send a clear message and allowing this to go ahead undermines that. I think they are wrong in allowing this.”