Scarborough Council reminder that this year's Seamer Horse Fair is cancelled

The horse fair, an annual event on July 15 near Scarborough, will not be going ahead due to the extension to step three of the government’s Covid-19 roadmap.

The decision was made last month when a council spokesman said that because the fair, which is a gathering rather than a formally organised event, has historically attracted a high number of attendees, and in excess of the permitted 30, to go ahead would be in breach of the current Covid-19 restrictions.

Scarborough Borough Council and its partners, North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire County Council and RSPCA have advised the travelling community of the cancellation of the fair.

It is the second year running that the fair has been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Scarborough Council has now issued a reminder on its social media channels that the fair and the traditional ‘penny throwing’ and reading of the historic Seamer Charter in the centre of the village are not taking place and asking people not to travel into the town.

In a joint statement, the partner organisations said: “It is important that everyone continues to play their part in helping to prevent the spread of coronavirus, particularly with the additional challenges we face from the Delta variant.

“Our dialogue with the travelling community about the cancellation of the fair will emphasise their collective responsibility to keep the settled community and their own community safe.”

The annual Horse Fair is held on Scarborough Council-owned land, off the B1261 between Seamer and Crossgates.

Once a thriving meet-up in the travellers’ calendar, the number of people attending the Seamer fair has dropped in recent years.

The origin of the Seamer fair dates back to a Royal Charter issued in November 1382 by Richard II.

It was not until the 1900s that the fair became associated with travellers.

Following a pitched battle in 1911 the travellers were forbidden to enter the village or camp on the green.