A Somerset church and market , Bridgwater.
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ArishMell · 70-79, M
That church is a lovely building. I like the way its builders have used at least three varieties of stone - that of the tower looks completely different from the two contrasting stones in the main part of the church, and the spire.
Beautiful tracery, too. It has some intriguing details, such as that pair of ornamented arches with what appears to be a small, shuttered window between them.
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That's a fine three-abreast galloper set in your first picture - there can't be many of those still touring.
Several years ago the Post Office commissioned a set of stamps with a stylised depiction of a gallopers - only thing was, the artist have obviously never visited a British fairground, for he or she had drawn the ride the wrong way round, travelling left to right!
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Bridgewater.... I wonder if it and its neighbouring towns will have their big illuminated carnivals this year?
Beautiful tracery, too. It has some intriguing details, such as that pair of ornamented arches with what appears to be a small, shuttered window between them.
'
That's a fine three-abreast galloper set in your first picture - there can't be many of those still touring.
Several years ago the Post Office commissioned a set of stamps with a stylised depiction of a gallopers - only thing was, the artist have obviously never visited a British fairground, for he or she had drawn the ride the wrong way round, travelling left to right!
'
Bridgewater.... I wonder if it and its neighbouring towns will have their big illuminated carnivals this year?
ArishMell · 70-79, M
devonman · 61-69, M
@ArishMell materials , generators , insurance , but time is the most precious commodity.
The shutdowns have disrupted fund raising too . The only way they can afford to construct the floats is constant fund raising . Running outside bars , car park duty , outside catering .Concerts .
In usual times they mostly gave a charitable donation too .
The shutdowns have disrupted fund raising too . The only way they can afford to construct the floats is constant fund raising . Running outside bars , car park duty , outside catering .Concerts .
In usual times they mostly gave a charitable donation too .
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@devonman I think some do own their trailers but those are expensive to keep roadworthy. The tractor (HGV or farm) and generator are probably hired or borrowed so they've not had that expense last year or this.
I can imagine the insurers not giving a cancellation rebate though, if they can wriggle out of it!
I didn't realise they had to do all that extra fund-raising, though.
Their lavish floats and costumes must be very costly in materials even if some can be salvaged for re-use. I assumed at least some of the carnival clubs have sponsors in cash or kind, but otherwise they buy most of their materials from their members' own subscriptions and donations; and their labour is free.
Though of course most of the subscriptions are likely only to keep the insurance spivs in clover.
"mostly" donate... I thought the entire point of the shows was charity fund-raising.
Time - Yes, of course, with all the lock-downs that would have been severely limited.
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I think they also had problems in recent years with a new Chief Constable; a "new broom" type who appeared to dislike like un-corralled public events generally so, unable to ban them outright, made life difficult for them. I know (from friends there) that he made one Somerset village's Nov. 5th public fireworks shows totally impracticable; but I believe his main effect on the carnival clubs was heavy restrictions on moving their floats from town to town. I don't know if that's been resolved.
I can imagine the insurers not giving a cancellation rebate though, if they can wriggle out of it!
I didn't realise they had to do all that extra fund-raising, though.
Their lavish floats and costumes must be very costly in materials even if some can be salvaged for re-use. I assumed at least some of the carnival clubs have sponsors in cash or kind, but otherwise they buy most of their materials from their members' own subscriptions and donations; and their labour is free.
Though of course most of the subscriptions are likely only to keep the insurance spivs in clover.
"mostly" donate... I thought the entire point of the shows was charity fund-raising.
Time - Yes, of course, with all the lock-downs that would have been severely limited.
''''
I think they also had problems in recent years with a new Chief Constable; a "new broom" type who appeared to dislike like un-corralled public events generally so, unable to ban them outright, made life difficult for them. I know (from friends there) that he made one Somerset village's Nov. 5th public fireworks shows totally impracticable; but I believe his main effect on the carnival clubs was heavy restrictions on moving their floats from town to town. I don't know if that's been resolved.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@devonman I imagine they do raise a lot of money for charity, too.
Weymouht used to have a big and quite different type of Carnival, orgnaised by the Round Table. Because it was held in the middle of August all events including maritime and air displays and the procession itself were in daylight, except for the fireworks late enough in the evening for darkness.
In the last several years though it became harder to sustain, several major local organisations that had previously always provided the biggest and best floats have disappeared; and it was more and more difficult to raise sufficient interest and committment to run it. The pandemic was probably the last straw and there seems little or no prospect of the Carnival being revived.
I fear this could be a pattern for so many other big public, outdoor events generally, if it's not already happening.
Weymouht used to have a big and quite different type of Carnival, orgnaised by the Round Table. Because it was held in the middle of August all events including maritime and air displays and the procession itself were in daylight, except for the fireworks late enough in the evening for darkness.
In the last several years though it became harder to sustain, several major local organisations that had previously always provided the biggest and best floats have disappeared; and it was more and more difficult to raise sufficient interest and committment to run it. The pandemic was probably the last straw and there seems little or no prospect of the Carnival being revived.
I fear this could be a pattern for so many other big public, outdoor events generally, if it's not already happening.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@devonman The point of making it a competition is to keep the standard up, provided due allowance is made for smaller groups and walking entries of course.
Most are sponsored in one way or another, but "grants"? From where? Council Tax income? I can't see that being popular or simple - might just as well give the money straight to the chosen charities anyway; but even if legal that would release all sorts of tinned [i]Lumbricidae[/i].
The North Somerset, Winter carnivals might survive; but as Weymouth's shows although a similarly-sized town and attracting a huge "captive-audience" of Summer holiday-makers, any Carnival needs the will and people to organise it or to enter it.
There are three main threats and two possible consequences.
- Manpower. The organisers and entrants are volunteers, and when it becomes personally too much, lose interest or disappear from the area, they are lost to the event. If insufficient volunteers of suffient calibre take their places, nothing can happen.
- External pressure. Insurers wanting ever more money and for ever more restrictions. Rules and regulations that may or may not be intended to hit voluntary bodies, but do so anyway; and become more and more of a burden.
- Expense. Not enough money from anywhere including previous event income, to buy or hire the goods and services needed - no viable event.
SO
- The event declines, attracts fewer quality entrants and organisers, income available for paying the nest year's expenses drops; so it fades away.
- Any or all of those pressures above, collapses the event immediately, with little prospect of renewal.
Most are sponsored in one way or another, but "grants"? From where? Council Tax income? I can't see that being popular or simple - might just as well give the money straight to the chosen charities anyway; but even if legal that would release all sorts of tinned [i]Lumbricidae[/i].
The North Somerset, Winter carnivals might survive; but as Weymouth's shows although a similarly-sized town and attracting a huge "captive-audience" of Summer holiday-makers, any Carnival needs the will and people to organise it or to enter it.
There are three main threats and two possible consequences.
- Manpower. The organisers and entrants are volunteers, and when it becomes personally too much, lose interest or disappear from the area, they are lost to the event. If insufficient volunteers of suffient calibre take their places, nothing can happen.
- External pressure. Insurers wanting ever more money and for ever more restrictions. Rules and regulations that may or may not be intended to hit voluntary bodies, but do so anyway; and become more and more of a burden.
- Expense. Not enough money from anywhere including previous event income, to buy or hire the goods and services needed - no viable event.
SO
- The event declines, attracts fewer quality entrants and organisers, income available for paying the nest year's expenses drops; so it fades away.
- Any or all of those pressures above, collapses the event immediately, with little prospect of renewal.