| Topic: | GoodbyeTo Many Festival and Carnivals | |
| Posted by: | Eric Alan Leach | |
| Date/Time: | 01/05/25 16:25:00 |
| New legislation got Royal Assent on 5 April 2025. Called Martyn's Law it's a response to the horrific 1996 Manchester Arena bombing. For meetings of 800 people or more, 15-20 fully qualified Security Guards must be hired. Hanwell Carnival in Elthorne Park and Brentford Festival in Blondin Park would have incurred costs of some £4,000 per event. These events are run by volunteers and the organisers don't have this money to pay. As I understand it this is why the Hanwell Carnival will not take place this year and unless the money is not raised and paid tomorrow the Brentford Festival will also be dead in the water. In years gone by Local Councils would have financially supported these important annual community events. Hounslow and Ealing Councils claim they don't have the cash to support these events. Odd though isn't it in recent years Hounslow found £600,000 to build segregated cycle lanes along Boston Manor Road (with access to Blondin Park). And soon Ealing will spend a similar amount on building segregated cycle lanes along Boston Road running alongside Elthorne Park. £1.2 million would have funded security at Hanwell Carnival, Brentford Festival and all the other wonderful volunteer festivals and carnivals throughought Ealing and Hounslow for decades to come. |