Coronavirus: Southampton funfair axed on day before opening

The rides had already been assembled at Riverside Park when Charles Cole was told the fair could not take place

The owner of a funfair has been left "devastated" after it was cancelled the day before it was supposed to open over Covid-19 concerns.

Charles Cole was due to stage the fair at Riverside Park but Southampton City Council announced on Tuesday it would not let it go ahead.

He said his family firm had already spent money on advertising and coronavirus safety measures.

The council said it was hard to maintain the rule of six on fair sites.

Other fairs due to take place on council land at Veracity recreation ground, Mansel Park and Southampton Common have also been refused permission.

Mr Cole said he had put measures in place to ensure social distancing

Mr Cole said the "local family community fair" would have been limited to 200 people at a time and had extra security and signage in place to ensure social distancing.

"I'm devastated - we've done everything to comply, spent thousands. I can't grasp why they've done it," he said.

"I can't see any light at the end of this tunnel - we've no Christmas or corporate work. This was a bit of income but now we'll have nothing and will end up signing on the dole.

"We've got to learn to live with this virus and get back to some kind of normality."

Mr Cole, who is the fifth generation of his family to operate a fair, only began trading again in August after lockdown restrictions were eased.

Mary D'Arcy, the council's executive director for communities, culture and homes said: "Despite the best efforts of the organisers of these fairs who have worked hard to provide a Covid-secure environment, the council cannot with good conscience allow events involving large numbers of people to take place on our land.

"With large numbers of children and young people expected to attend the fairs, we are especially keen to minimise the chances of transmission among this demographic."

The authority was criticised last week for cancelling two boat shows hours before they were due to start.

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