Cash crisis leaves carnival's future in doubt

Warwick District Council have told the organisers of the carnival that they cannot use Abbey Fields for the 2024 funfair

A 100-year-old carnival’s future has been thrown into doubt by a cash crisis and a ban on its funfair from its usual site.

Kenilworth Carnival raises lots of money for charity, but organisers are facing a £12,000 funding shortfall.

It also features a street procession with floats, walkers and marching bands.

“It’s devastating news for Kenilworth town,” said Anne Brough, speaking on BBC CWR.

“People look forward to it, seeing the children on the floats, the excitement they have… everything’s doom and gloom sometimes; it lifts people’s spirits.”

Organisers are attempting to raise the missing funding so that the carnival can still go ahead.

Anne Brough said that they have received a small amount of money from the town council and that a few businesses have come forward to support them.

She said that they were “hopeful” that the event would still go ahead in June.

“The support of the local town has been brilliant.”

‘Funfair breaches guidelines’

Warwick District Council’s events and green spaces teams have been assessing the impact of the fair.

“We fully understand the disappointment of both the carnival organisers and local residents,” said councillor Ella Billiald.

She explained that with increasing numbers of visitors in recent years, combined with the effects of climate change, allowing the fair to go ahead could cause potential damage to trees in Abbey Fields.

“We would be in the situation of breaching our own guidelines for the management and care of Abbey Fields, which is an ancient monument that the Council has a duty to protect,” she added.

However, the council said that both the district and town councils were keen to work with the organisers to enable the carnival to take place this year, albeit with a revised programme.

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