Concerns grow for future management of gypsy horse fair. (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Concerns grow for future management of gypsy horse fair.

ATTEMPTS to find a way of properly managing Stow-on-the-Wold's gypsy horse fair have stalled.

Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council last year formed a working party tasked with improving the biannual event, held just across the parish boundary in Maugersbury.

But Councillor Vera Norwood, town council chairman, last week warned the party - which includes town council, Maugersbury Parish Council and gypsy representatives - may never meet again because of lack of progress.

This was after Alan Holmes wrote to the town council saying Maugersbury Residents Association's annual general meeting, which he chaired, unanimously voted against both lifting a High Court injunction and submitting a planning application, for the fair, to Cotswold District Council.

The district council obtained the injunction in 1996 after residents complained about children's rowdy behaviour among the 400-plus caravans parked overnight at the fair's venue, a gypsy-owned Maugesbury Lane field.

This injunction prevents travellers camping on the field overnight, immediately before and after the fair, although they can trade there during the day.

Maugersbury Lane has since become congested during the fairs, with caravans being parked along its sides.

Mr Holmes said: "We also expressed concern at the lead Stow Town Council seemed to be taking in a matter that generally happens within Maugersbury parish boundaries."

Cllr Norwood said the town council did its best to solve the problems but she invited Maugersbury's residents to take the lead.

She said: "I'm certainly not going to get the gypsies to attend meetings again. They thought we were having meetings to try and sort things out, to make Maugersbury and everybody happy but if we're going to sit there and be totally negative then things will just carry on as they are.

"I would like to see the injunction changed so they can be there for three or four days, which makes sense because they come a long way."

Christopher Dickson, Maugersbury Parish Council chairman, said he favoured continuing the meetings, even though they have not yet found the answer.

He said: "I don't think we've had a meeting with the right people in the same room at the same time."