Hotelier’s fears for trade loss as result of fun fair (From Cotswold Journal)

Hotelier’s fears for trade loss as result of fun fair

2:10pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

A STOW hotelier has said he fears he will lose trade during a three-day fun fair to be held in the town centre next month.

Jason Allen hit out at the town council at last week’s meeting after he was told by someone “over the bar” at The Old Stocks that there could be road closures during the event, which will begin the day after Stow Fair is held.

The fun fair is due to take place in the Square from Friday, October 26, for three days.

Mr Allen claimed that neither he – nor any other businesses – were told about the possible road closures and the fun fair would cost him valuable custom.

“I’m disgusted about how I see businesses of Stow being treated,” he said. “I’m really quite upset that no regard has been given to them at all.

You haven’t had the courtesy to ask anybody.

“Nobody has been told about the application to have a fun fair. I was told by a local over the bar.

“I’ve had people already who’ve declined to stay at the hotel (because of the funfair),”

he added before storming out of the meeting.

Councillor John Kennell said the town council had responded to requests from residents to hold the fun fair after not having one in Stow for more than 10 years.

“It did seem to us to be a good business opportunity,”

he said. “It will bring extra people into the town who will need the sort of refreshments that you provide.

“We’ve asked the fun fair operator not to fill the street with food businesses selling anything similar to what you sell, so they would not take business away.

“If you went to Chipping Norton, Chipping Campden or Moreton you would have a fair at least twice a year.”

The town council and the police both said they were still yet to receive a road closure application and could not speculate which roads, if any, would be affected.