Police take friendly approach to the fair (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Police take friendly approach to the fair

POLICE have promised to be out in force at this month's Stow Horse Fair to make the event as safe as possible for residents and visitors and to minimise disruption.

Officers from across Gloucestershire will join Stow police to carry out high visibility patrols in and around the town between May 5 and May 12.

On the main fair day, May 11, officers will be backed up by police from Warwickshire and mounted officers from Thames Valley Police.

During the fair, officers will use the friendly approach and to resolve any problems that occur quickly and amicably. Should this fail however, police have warned they will firmly intervene and use all the powers available to them.

The new approach hopes to emulate the success of the policing operations adopted for the horse fairs in May and October last year.

On both occasions the presence of extra officers, vehicles and mounted police proved popular with both residents and visitors, and relatively few incidents of crime and disorder were reported.

Chief Supt Dean Walker, the new commander of the Cotswolds and Stroud division, said: "Our high visibility approach to policing the bi-annual horse fair has proved a great success with both Stow residents and visitors. As in previous years, officers will address all incidents of anti-social behaviour and disorder that occur, and will act to minimise the threatening nature and impact of such behaviour on the visitors and residents of Stow.

"Officers will, of course, issue parking tickets to the owners of illegally-parked vehicles."

Gloucestershire County Council and Cotswold District Council will be putting measures in place to address the recurring fair issues of sanitation, parking and traffic congestion.

The county council has raised the level of the verges on the field side of the lane, and substantial temporary posts and fences have been placed on the village side to prevent parking and to improve road safety. The posts and fences may be replaced by raised verges in time for the October fair.

Unlike last October, the district council will not be opening its car park at the top of Maugersbury Lane for the use of the travelling community and visitors. Height restriction barriers will be put up at the car park on Friday, May 5, and it will close to the public from May 8 until May 12.

The district council will provide portable toilets in the Maugersbury Lane car park, next to the permanent public toilets, and skips for rubbish will be placed in the entrance to the fair field and the car park. It will also clean up when the event is over.

Bob Austin, the district council's chief executive, said: "We have listened to feedback from residents about the October Fair. Reaction has been overwhelmingly positive to the steps taken last year to minimise the effect of the event on local people and their surroundings. We hope the May Fair will run smoothly and safely."