High numbers at Appleby Horse Fair despite damp weather

Appleby Horse Fair 2025 was one of the busiest in recent years, with the number of caravans and bowtops in attendance up on last year, despite poor weather with heavy downpours and brisk winds.

Last year saw 1,287 bowtops and caravans recorded at the Fair. However, this year’s count of 1,307 is just below the high of 1,318, recorded in 2014.

Drones were again used at this year’s fair, ensuring more accurate counting of bowtops and caravans than was possible in previous years, when the count was conducted on the ground, by eye.

The 2025 figures saw a drop in the number of traditional bowtops to 95, down from 112 in 2024. There were 1,152 caravans, up from 1,078 in 2024, 46 tents and a further six vans, or wagons used as accommodation.

There was drop in the number of stalls at the 2025 Fair. Overall stall numbers were at 231, including 25 food stalls, which was down on the 268 recorded in 2024 and well below the 2016 record high of 276.

Chair of the Appleby Horse Fair Multi-Agency Strategic Coordinating Group (MASCG) and Westmorland and Furness Council’s Director of Thriving Communities, Steph Cordon, said:

“With poor weather forecast over the weekend of the Fair, which also coincided with the Epsom Derby, we did wonder if caravan and bowtop numbers might be lower this year.

“An initial reading of the count would suggest otherwise, but the recording of vehicles at the Fair is now much more accurate using drone technology, so comparisons to previous years is not necessarily a helpful barometer.

“I’m pleased that this year’s Fair has passed without any major incidents and I’d like to thank everyone involved in the response to the Fair, for their hard work and dedication in making sure that this was the case.

“I’m particularly grateful for the brilliant job officers from across Westmorland and Furness Council have done, working in lock-step with colleagues from all the agencies involved in the MASCG, to ensure the Fair has been as safe and as clean and tidy as possible.

“There has been a particular focus on community engagement ahead of the 2025 Fair and a number of improvements were in place, as result of the feedback we received from residents.

“This has included maintaining the barriers on the leisure centre car park to provide dedicated parking spaces for residents and town centre businesses, temporary traffic calming measures and improved signage.

“We have also provided 62 additional litterbins, an increase of 10 on last year and 75 temporary toilets and two multi-use urinals, an increase of nine and one, respectively on last year’s provision.

“Cleaning and street sweeping teams have also worked exceptionally hard to keep the streets looking clean and tidy throughout the Fair and Trading Standards officers, in a joint operation with Cumbria Police, also seized unsafe counterfeit goods on sale at the Fair.

“Our parking enforcement team issued 21 Penalty Charge Notices between the Monday and Wednesday before the Fair and a further 53 during the four main days of the Fair.

“The Traffic Management Plan applied by our Highways team, which implemented temporary speed restrictions, road closures and one-way restrictions to maintain traffic flow through the town and minimise the risk to pedestrians. Although, we would ask road-users to observe and respect these measures and the associated signage at all times."

“The multi-agency approach of the MASCG, combined with listening and acting on feedback from all the communities involved, has helped create a safer experience for residents and visitors,” Steph continued.

“We’re now well into the final phase of this year’s Fair and our cleaning teams are out in force in Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and outlying areas, picking up litter and sweeping the streets in the final, post-Fair, clean up.

“We hope to have this work completed by the end of the week, but if any local residents are still experiencing Fair related issues, they can report them online using the Community Feedback Form at https://forms.office.com/e/PftXw5kMSd.”

People will have a further opportunity to provide feedback on the 2025 Fair at the Post-Fair Public Drop In event, hosted by representatives from the MASCG, which will be held at Appleby Public Hall on Monday 23 June, between 5pm and 8pm.

Gypsy and Traveller representative Billy Welch, a member of the Multi Agency Co-ordinating Group (MASCG), said: “It’s been an absolutely wonderful Fair. Everyone has enjoyed it and everything went like clockwork from the MASCG and from the police.

“Everybody is saying they had a really good time and the police and the MASCG did a brilliant job.

“We had the rough weather on Saturday but it’s only one day so didn’t spoil it. We’ve had far worse weather so it did not spoil anything.

“We’re already looking forward to next year’s fair – starting the planning and looking at what can be tweaked and improved.

"I just want to thank everyone - we’re really grateful – and wish everyone a safe journey home.” 

The policing of Appleby Horse Fair built on the proactive model of recent years, including targeting stolen vehicles being brought to the event and a robust road safety policing operation.

This proactive approach to policing resulted in the number of arrests rising once again. During the Fair itself, the Constabulary made 80 arrests (74 arrests were made in 2024, 42 arrests were made in 2023 and 18 in 2022).

However, the Appleby Horse Fair policing operation as a whole - which begins in the weeks leading to the Fair - brought the total provisional arrest figure to 123 arrests.

Gold Commander for Appleby Horse Fair, Detective Superintendent Dan St Quintin, said: "My officers have once again been on the front-foot and proactive in their efforts to make this event as safe as we can for Gypsies and Travellers, local people and day visitors.

"The results of their efforts - and the goodwill of the vast majority of people in all communities - is fewer crimes recorded and a Fair which has seen zero incidents of significant disorder or violent incidents.

"I would like to thank all communities for this, whilst also paying tribute to my officers for their outstanding work in recent days and weeks, during challenging circumstances, including the extremely wet weather we saw on Saturday."

A multi-agency priority before, during and after each Appleby Horse Fair is road safety and Cumbria Police were once again proactive in their approach to targeting dangerous driving behaviour.

Of the 123 arrests made, 80 were for drink or drug driving.

Det Supt St Quintin said: "We are seeing a concerning trend in the number of drivers we are stopping who are over the prescribed limit, from all communities - particularly for drug driving.

"The drink and drug driving arrests we have made have been split between people here for the Fair and people not connected who were either travelling through or who live locally.

"Getting behind the wheel whilst unfit through drink or drugs is inexcusable and as people make their way home from the Fair today, we will urge people to drive with caution whilst continuing to target drivers who are willing to put their own lives, the lives of their passengers and the lives of other road users at risk."

Officers also issued more than 370 tickets (Traffic Offence Reports), whilst more than 120 vehicles were seized including for being suspected of being stolen, being suspected of having been used in a crime, causing an obstruction and driving without insurance.

One of the most visible incidents of the Fair was the vehicle fire on the Trade Field on Saturday, which resulted in a multi-agency response.

Peter Kavanagh, Station Manager at Cumbria Fire and Rescue, said: "Emergency services were quick to respond to the incident, which was resolved before the fire could spread and resulted in nobody coming to harm.

"The response was a great example of multi-agency work, with leaders from Fire and Rescue, Police and NWAS - all based together at the police station - able to co-operate in the response to the incident whilst fire crews and police worked effectively together at the scene to bring the situation under control swiftly and efficiently."

The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

Vehicle fire at Appleby not being treated as suspicious - Cumbria Constabulary

Cumbria Police works closely with the RSPCA throughout Appleby Horse Fair.

On Saturday, police officers arrested a man following a report of a horse having been punched.

Aidan Tomlinson, 22, of Chatsworth Fall, Pudsey, Leeds, was subsequently charged with causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

He was bailed to attend Carlisle Magistrates Court on 14 July 2025.

Cumbria Police also arrested a woman in charge of a horse who had previously been disqualified from controlling animals.

She was released under investigation whilst officers carry out further enquiries.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Rob Melloy, who oversees the animal welfare operation, said: “Our interactions with the Fairgoing community have been overwhelmingly positive and interventions, when they’ve been necessary, have been cordial.

“People may have seen something they’re not happy with, if it has been reported to us it has been investigated by our staff.

“Whilst we did see tired horses, none of those who were exhaustion tested were so bad that they needed to be removed from their owners permanently. When they had rested, we were able to return them.

“We hoped we would be able to focus the public’s attention on the examples of good horse health, happiness and horsemanship at the Fair this year, particularly given that it was the tenth anniversary of the Best at Appleby Awards run by Redwings and supported by other partner charities, which has proved an important tool in building positive relationships.”

The RSPCA did 372 interventions at this year’s Fair; issued 18 warnings; removed, treated and returned 14 equines to their owners; have two ongoing investigations; are caring for six horses who were abandoned or are subject to investigations and removed one wild caught bird. Two horses were put to sleep because they were ill, on veterinary advice and with the permission of their owner.