Gloucester city farm remains closed amid pony sickness

St James City Farm and Riding School does not yet have a reopening date

Staff at a city farm said it had to remain closed due to staff shortages and animal sickness.

St James City Farm and Riding School in Gloucester announced on 24 January it was closed to visitors for the time being.

The farm had seen some "unfortunate timing" with a pony falling ill and staff off, it said.

Managers added the closure was only temporary but were unsure when the farm would reopen.

Coordinator Imran Atcha said Percy, one of the ponies Gloucester children learn to ride on, became ill a couple of months ago.

Despite having blood tests and appearing to make a recovery, Percy fell ill whenever he came back to the Albany Street farm.

"Vets advised us to move him off site until they work out what the issue is," Mr Atcha said.

"We need to work out whether its something in the paint or plants , we're just speculating, and then we will be ready to open."

Due to the time of year, Mr Atcha said staff, of which there is a shortage, already had a lot of maintenance jobs to carry out around the farm in addition to the challenges the site currently faced.

St James City Farm and Riding School chairman Reyaz Limalia confirmed the closure was temporary.

"We've just had a lot of things lined up in an unfortunate timing," Mr Limalia said.

"So we've had to take the animals offsite while we figure out what's going on and get things back in place."

The farm opened its doors to the public in 1998, and said it gives inner-city children and families "a taste of the countryside" by offering hands-on farm experience and riding lessons.