Dear Scalby Fair Supporter,
I very much regret to inform you that the Scalby Fair Committee has decided that we must cancel both the Easter Scalby Walk and the June Scalby Fair for this coming year, 2021.
Obviously the prime reason is the COVID-19 crisis which, according to the government, is going to be a significant problem at least until the autumn.
Below are just some of the main points of many that the Fair Committee has considered to arrive at our decision:
A. Our Fair public liability insurance policy now contains a specific clause excluding liability for Covid-19 claims.
B. The toilets in the village will not be available which would force us to hire portaloos at considerable expense.
C. Scalby Fair is designed to bring people together whereas the object of government Covid response legislation is to do the exact opposite,
D. The compulsory Risk Assessment as well as the Event Management plan would likely impose very burdensome conditions for operating the Fair (possibly involving barriers at all four entrances to the village centre to control access – and even take temperatures). We do not have enough people to run the Fair and to cover barriers all day in a safe manner.
E. If the event was held there is the strong possibility that many members of the public would stay away to avoid risk.
F. Certain events in the Fair week such as the wine tasting event are only successful if everyone is seated in close proximity. This is not possible with social distancing rules.
I’m awfully sorry to be the bearer of this bad news which will be a significant disappointment to many of us, not least to me. However, I do believe that the Fair Committee decision here is the correct one given the circumstances in which we find ourselves
Best wishes and keep safe
Tom Cathcart
Chairman
Scalby Fair
