Appleby Fair Communities Group

16/06/2026

Tomorrow night's Appleby Fair meeting is important.

I know many of us are unhappy with the new format and feel even more shut out of the process than we have been in previous years. There is a real sense that residents' voices are being managed rather than listened to.

However, if we don't attend and raise our concerns, those responsible will simply be able to point to low attendance and claim the process is working and that the changes have been a success. Equally we need to feed back that the meeting format isn’t what we want, it’s not a true public meeting and we have numerous drip in sessions throughout the year.

There are some important questions that need answering.

With council tax continuing to rise and reports that Westmorland & Furness Council needs to find around £40 million in savings to avoid serious financial difficulties, residents deserve to know exactly what Appleby Fair is costing the public purse and how those costs are justified.

Financial transparency should also be a key part of the discussion. We regularly hear figures quoted for funding, grants, contributions and support linked to the Fair, yet the details are often unclear. Residents should be able to understand where money is coming from, who is receiving it, what it is being spent on, and what measurable benefits it is delivering. At a time when public finances are under pressure, openness about costs and funding is not an unreasonable request—it's essential.

Many residents also continue to say they do not feel safe during parts of the event. If organisers consider the Fair a success, how are they measuring that success, and are residents' experiences being given enough weight?

There is also a growing feeling that the Fair is becoming more festival-like every year and moving further away from its traditional roots. It is time for an honest discussion about what the future vision actually is. Is the aim to preserve a traditional horse fair, or to develop a large-scale festival? The two are not necessarily the same thing.

And finally, despite repeated concerns over many years, why was the market once again reportedly full of counterfeit goods? Why does this remain an issue? And why did so many slip through the enhanced police checks?

Whether people support the Fair, oppose it, or sit somewhere in the middle, tomorrow is an opportunity to ask questions and seek answers. If residents want their voices heard, they need to be in the room.

Anyone unsure to attend alone we normally congregate outside you are welcome to join.

Edit - Appleby Public Hall 5 to 8.

15/06/2026

Seems Appleby Horse Fair is now a limited company.

13/06/2026

I've seen reports that Bill Lloyd and Billy Welch have raised £30,000 for Appleby Fair.

That's a significant amount of money, and I'm sure many local residents would welcome some clarity around it.

Where did the £30,000 come from? Was it money that was actively raised, sponsorship secured, or grant funding applied for and awarded?

Over what period was the £30,000 raised? Was this for a single year or spread over several years?

Most importantly, where was the money spent? Who received the funding, what was it used for, and what benefits did it deliver for the Fair, the travelling community, and local residents?

Who decided where is should be spent?

These aren't criticisms—they're reasonable questions whenever substantial sums of money are involved. Transparency helps everyone understand what has been achieved and where resources have been directed.

If the details are already available somewhere, perhaps they could be shared so the public can see exactly how the £30,000 was generated and spent.

12/06/2026

2025 Evaluation report has finally been published

11/06/2026

What do we actually think will happen regarding Westmorland and Furness Council reported Financial concerns, especially if we reach section 114 stage?

I'm not an expert in local government finance, but I suspect it could play out something like this.

Those who make money from the Fair will continue promoting it because it benefits them financially, a classic case of "I'm alright Jack". Socialising the losses, privatising the gains, riding on the backs of local taxpayers.

The visitors will still come, the GRT community will still come. I don't believe many of them will be overly concerned if local residents face reduced services or higher council taxes while financially supporting the event. Many visitors already dismiss the cost to the local taxpayer & disruption experienced, so I struggle to see why council finances would suddenly become their concern.

The council will almost certainly argue that it has a duty to respond on public safety grounds, heaven forbid we see any proactive actions. However, if finances become tighter, I would expect to see a significant scaling back of everything that isn't absolutely essential. It will be taken out of their hands.

That could mean fewer staff, fewer facilities, fewer road closures and diversions, fewer temporary toilets, and less infrastructure generally. It may even mean concentrating activities into a smaller area around Fair Hill rather than managing large numbers of people across the wider town. It may mean passing more responsibilities (therefore costs) to other organisations such as the police.

Measures such as restricting access to the river could also become attractive from a budget perspective because they reduce staffing requirements, costs and risk. As we saw this year the closure of the river meant a significant reduction in traffic and the crowds in town.

Eden District Council once advised there is no budget for Appleby Fair, it costs what it costs. That lack of control is something that wouldn’t be acceptable.

The reality is that councils under financial pressure focus on essentials.

What I find difficult to accept is the idea that local residents could face cuts to services and increased council tax while a relatively small number of businesses and individuals continue to profit from the event. If the Fair genuinely creates significant economic benefits, perhaps more of the costs should be borne by those who directly benefit from it rather than by ordinary taxpayers.

Good luck trying to make cuts or an increase in council tax palatable to local tax payers, especially those in areas like Barrow & Kendal who certainly don’t benefit, while continuing to spend money of events like this.

That's just my view, but with the council reportedly looking for tens of millions of pounds in savings, these are questions that are likely to be asked sooner rather than later.

I guess we are about to see where Westmorland & Furness priorities are, the local tax payer or 3 day visitors.

MASCG for Appleby Fair The Cumbria Chronic Cumberland and Westmorland Herald The Westmorland Gazette Cumbria Crack

10/06/2026

A few of you have asked whether the financial challenges facing Westmorland & Furness Council could have an impact on Appleby Fair. If budgets come under increasing pressure, the council may find it difficult to explain cuts to services while continuing to commit significant resources and funding to the event.

We are not experts, but based on what we have read and heard, this is how the situation could develop.

08/06/2026

We do not want this.

Every year, when footage like this is shared, the same excuses appear:

• "There are worse things in horse racing."
• "This isn't Appleby”, (it's The Flash.)
• "It's only a minority."
• "Most people don't do this."

None of those excuses make what is shown here acceptable.

History is full of practices that were once defended as tradition, culture, or "the way it's always been done." That didn't make them right then, and it doesn't make them right now.

If any event continues to tolerate the mistreatment of horses, then that aspect of the event is outdated and needs to change. Tradition should never be used as a shield for cruelty.

Most people who care about horses, whether they are residents, visitors, travellers, or horse owners, want to see animals treated with respect. We should be united on that point.

The answer isn't to look away, make excuses, or argue about where it happened. The answer is simple: call it out, condemn it, and make it clear that this behaviour has no place at any event in 2026 or 2027 MASCG for Appleby Fair RSPCA (England & Wales) Redwings Horse Sanctuary World Horse Welfare British Horse Society The Cumbria Chronic Cumbria Crack Cumberland and Westmorland Herald The Westmorland Gazette

06/06/2026

Reminder- you can also email non emergency reports and concerns to the police

[email protected]

22/10/2025

Really?

Westmorland and Furness Council’s Environmental Health Team have been shortlisted for the inaugural Withnall Partnership Award at this year’s prestigious RSPCA PawPrints Awards.

The team were nominated for their pioneering partnership work with the RSPCA in support of animal welfare at Appleby Horse Fair.

The nomination is particularly poignant as the Withnall Partnership Award commemorates the service of former RSPCA Inspector Kirsty Withnall who worked with partner organisations at the fair over many years.

Find out more at: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/news/2025/council-shortlisted-rspca-pawprints-award

02/08/2025

https://thecumbriachronic.co.uk/2025/08/01/council-war-on-term-holidays/.

CRUMBRIA: 1/08/2025 By Rich Pickings WOKEMORELAND & Farcical Council has been let off the hook today by one of Cumbria’s weakly snoozepapers. “Huge surge in fines for parents taking…