Pre-Fair public meeting to be held in Appleby

A meeting to discuss plans for the response to this year’s Appleby Horse Fair will be held at the Public Hall in the town on Wednesday 15 May from 7pm.

The public meeting is being organised by the Multi Agency Strategic Coordination Group (MASCG), the umbrella organisation tasked with ensuring the Fair is a safe and enjoyable event for residents and visitors, alike.

The annual gathering of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers for the traditional Horse Fair will take place in and around the town of Appleby between Thursday 6 June and Wednesday 12 June 2024. The Fair attracts thousands of visitors to the Eden area each year and is renowned for being the largest event of its kind in Europe.

At the meeting residents from Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Brough and the surrounding areas, will hear how plans for improving the response to the Fair are progressing, as well as providing an opportunity for questions to be put to a panel of representatives from the MASCG.

The meeting will be chaired by Westmorland and Furness Council Member for Appleby and Brough, Cllr Graham Simpkins, and the speakers on the panel will include Steph Cordon, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Director of Thriving Communities and Chair of the MASCG, and Superintendent Daniel StQuintin of Cumbria Police.

Steph Cordon said, “The MASCG understands that the Fair can have a huge impact on those who live and work in the communities of Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, Brough and their surrounding areas. Each year, our focus is on supporting those communities and keeping any disruption to a minimum.

“This public meeting is open to all and I’d encourage everyone affected by the Fair to come along to hear about our plans for improving our response to the Fair and the support we can provide. They’ll also have an opportunity to put their questions to the panel, as well as sharing their feedback and ideas.”

For more information about the meeting contact Westmorland and Furness Council’s Eden Community Development Team. Call 0300 373 3300 (Option 5).