Tavistock's Goose Fair cancelled for second year in a row

Tavistock’s Goose Fair has been cancelled for a second year - much to the disappointment of residents.

Councillors voted seven to five to cancel the event after a meeting on September 14.

The Goose Fair, or Goosey Fair as it's known locally, is usually held on the second Wednesday of October each year, though last year’s event was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a report prepared by town clerk Carl Hearn, the potential spread of Covid and financial pressures were cited as reasons not to hold this year’s fair.

‘A major challenge’

"In any given year, the delivery of Goose Fair is a major challenge for an organisation of the modest size of the Town Council,” part of the report stated.

"Looking ahead, insofar as delivering the event in 2021 is concerned, there are two primary areas of challenge:

"-a) Coronavirus - the effect of the pandemic/endemic, its impact on public health, health services, the normal operation of civil society and the extent to which a safe and secure environment can be provided;

"b) Linking to the above, the impact of the much diminished capacity of the Town Council following the unprecedented measures of savings necessitated over the past 18 months by coronavirus.”

The report added that there was a relationship between large scale events and virus transmission, referencing the Boardmasters festival in Newquay.

It also referenced Nottingham's Goose Fair, which is also held every year and has been cancelled for the last two.

Reaction to the cancellation on social media, however, was mixed.

One person wrote: “Very sad, would have been lovely to try and bring some normality to life.”

Another said: “How incredibly ridiculous this is. Just an excuse to get rid of another ancient tradition.”