It's on with the show! Bishop's Stortford funfair gets three extra days
The funfair in Sworder's Field in Bishop's Stortford has been extended for an additional weekend.
The fair will be open on Friday (Oct 9) from 5pm to 9pm, on Saturday between 2pm and 9pm, and on Sunday from 2pm to 7pm.
It was originally due to operate for four days in two successive weeks – September 24-27 and October 1-4 – but Bishop's Stortford Town Council has since allowed it to open for three extra days.
The operator, Cogger’s Family Funfairs, has staged the event in Sworder's Field each year for the past quarter of a century, but owner John Cogger says 2020 has been monumentally difficult owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
"It's been a disastrous year for nearly all of the funfair businesses," he said.
"The fair is operating on a different system to comply with these [Covid] restrictions; it’s been a learning curve and expensive operation but it's working. The reduction in numbers and the need for more staff has had an effect on the financial side of things."
During the fair's first weekend, the Government had only just raised the Covid alert level from three to four – meaning the infection is in general circulation and transmission is "high or rising exponentially".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson implemented a series of tougher restrictions, including a 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants, renewed advice to work from home and an extension of mask regulations and fines. But the fair was able to go ahead.
Bishop's Stortford Town Council chief executive James Parker told the Indie at the time: "At the time of writing, the Government has determined that funfairs should not be included in the list of businesses which are required to cease operating.
"In common with most other businesses, funfairs can continue to operate provided they follow Covid-secure guidelines. The funfair operator has prepared a Covid risk assessment."
Cogger’s Family Funfairs introduced various measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. For example, a £1 entry system has enabled organisers to control how many people are on the fenced-off site, groups of more than six people from different households are not admitted and fairgoers must move around the one-way site in their designated ‘bubble’ of no more than six people.
All rides are operating at a reduced capacity, have hand sanitiser stations and are cleaned regularly. A socially-distanced queueing system is in place, all rides operate a ticket-only system and contactless payment is preferred.
Mr Cogger said visitors have been abiding by the rules and staff have encountered no problems with people flouting the social distancing guidelines.
