'We've got to keep horse fair tradition alive'

Dani says it is important to carry on the tradition of the horse fair, which has been held in Brigg for more than 800 years

Visitors to an 800-year-old horse fair say it is important to keep the tradition alive amid uncertainty about the site's future.

Organised by the travelling community, the Brigg Horse Fair, which took place earlier and is an annual event, is held on derelict land off Station Road in the town and regularly attracts thousands of visitors.

The current site has been home to the fair since the late 1990s, but North Lincolnshire Council said it had been reserved to build housing for older people.

Dani, who travelled to the event with her young son, said people were starting to realise they had to support it otherwise they could lose it. She said: "We've got to fight for it."

She added: "Everyone mixing, mingling, it's just a lovely atmosphere. It's a tradition just to keep going, really.

"Brigg is a lovely fair because it's quiet, everyone knows each other.

"It's a close-knit group that comes here all the time."

Doug would like his family tradition of attending the horse fair to carry on

Doug, who has been part of the fair for more than 30 years and sells horse harnesses, said if the event lost its home it would be a "loss" because he also relied on it for his trade.

He said: "The tradition, once you start to lose these things they've gone forever.

"My grandad used to come to these and bring me along.

"Now, I feel it's the same. My boys aren't interested but my grandkids are, so we're carrying on the tradition of the family."

Eddy says if the council develops the land the fair could relocate to the centre of the town

The fair had already made way to new developments in Brigg a number of times and has been facing the prospect of finding another new home after the council approved its own planning application with conditions more than eight years ago to build 40 residential apartments, a commercial market and a new village green.

Eddy, who has been a regular at the fair for many years, said: "People gather that you don't get to see from one year to another. It's a very friendly little fair.

"It is pretty obvious that eventually that [the development] is going to happen.

"We would like to keep the fair going. I just like coming to Brigg because you meet nice people."

If the council develops the land, he said one option could be to relocate to the town centre.

A spokesperson for the council said it had no involvement with the organisation of the horse fair.

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