Fete Accompli! We Save The Great British Fair
The traditional British fete has been saved by the Sunday Express and ukvillages.co.uk after health and safety chiefs agreed to introduce a new set of guidelines for organisers.

A five-step plan which will cover village fairs is to be drawn up to help those planning events for next summer.

Previous advice provided by the Health and Safety Executive was aimed at businesses and outdoor events in general and caused confusion over what precautions needed to be made.

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Fete Accompli! We Save The Great British Fair

The traditional British fete has been saved by the Sunday Express and ukvillages.co.uk after health and safety chiefs agreed to introduce a new set of guidelines for organisers.

A five-step plan which will cover village fairs is to be drawn up to help those planning events for next summer.

Previous advice provided by the Health and Safety Executive was aimed at businesses and outdoor events in general and caused confusion over what precautions needed to be made.

But our campaign to highlight how bureaucracy is threatening traditional pastimes jolted the HSE into action.

They are consulting with ukvillages.co.uk, who have worked with us, to compile guidelines for five fete categories, ranging in size from village fairs to street carnivals and country shows.

Judith Hackitt, Health and Safety Executive chairwoman, said: “HSE agrees wholeheartedly with the sentiments behind the Save Our Fetes campaign. The campaign prompted us to offer this advice and we are very keen to help promote village fetes.

“Fetes are an important part of British community life and no one here wants to put a dampener on anyone’s fun.

“All that is needed is sensible and proportionate preparation, not excessive paperwork and precautions.”

Over the summer the Sunday Express highlighted the problems organisers of village fetes encountered and the amount of red tape they had to contend with.

Along the way a number of influential names from the world of politics and showbusiness gave us their backing, including Boris Johnson, Richard Hammond, Ben Fogle, Dame Vera Lynn and Caroline Spelman.

Yesterday, former Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders star Louisa Lytton became the latest to show her support.

The 20-year-old actress toasted the Sunday Express and said: “I am thrilled that the campaign has been a success. I have had a great summer touring with the British Shakespeare Company and your campaign will make it easier for the summer events calendar to thrive.”

Jason Mawer from ukvillages.co.uk also hailed our joint triumph. He said: “This is a victory for common sense. Those planning smaller fetes, like those in schools or on village greens, will have a clear set of guidelines to adhere to next summer that will be different to ones geared towards larger events.

“Hopefully this will encourage communities to continue with their local village fairs and maybe even lead to the rebirth of one or two which have been dormant for the last couple of years.”

This summer celebrate everything that is quaint, eccentric, traditional and British by heading to a really good village fete. There’s everything from cake stalls and bric-a-brac to face painting and local produce, with a few unexpected oddities in between. We’ve picked some really good ones that are well worth a visit.

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  • Your village fete... Too much red tape ?

  • Poll Results
  • Yes Votes: 95%
  • No Votes: 4%
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  • Britian wouldn't be the same without the range of fete's and carnivals that we have!
  • 26 Nov 2009 6:23 PM
  • how nice place this
  • 11 Nov 2009 7:23 PM
  • Health and Safety issues, bureaucracy and those too keen to sue in today's society. Sort out these issues and the Village Fete can rise again, just like the Phoenix!
  • 07 Sep 2009 11:49 PM
  • Village fetes are an essential part of the British summer.
  • 07 Sep 2009 4:24 PM
  • Too many regulations discourages people to organise such events - remember those wise words 'Rules were made for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools' (Churchill I think)- let's have a sensible and commonsense approach.
  • 06 Sep 2009 1:56 PM
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Country Life's Best village fetes 2009

Country Life Best fetes

This summer celebrate everything that is quaint, eccentric, traditional and British by heading to a really good village fete. There’s everything from cake stalls and bric-a-brac to face painting and local produce, with a few unexpected oddities in between. We’ve picked some really good ones that are well worth a visit.

South East

Kingsclere church fête

Newbury, Berkshire; August 31st – Held in the churchyard of St Mary’s church. Highlights include a dog show, a knobbly knees competition, climbing the church tower, and a bucking bronco.

Overton village fête

Hampshire, July 11th –Held in the Old Rectory garden, in a truly beautiful setting; surrounded by the Hampshire Downs, and within a stone’s throw of the River Test. Highlights include a teddy bear hunt, pole-jousting and an army assault course.

Tandridge village fête

Surrey, July 11th – Held in the Glebe Field, on Tandridge Lane. Highlights include the national egg-throwing championships, terrier racing and ‘slippery pole fights’. Bury village church fete Held in Bury, West Sussex in the walled garden of Dorset House school. Highlights include tombola, a while elephant stall and a raffle with fab prizes - proceeds go towards a new church spire!

South West

Gittisham village fête

Devon, July 11th - Held through the whole village. Highlights include a duck race, a scarecrow competition and a ceilidh.

Bishops Lydeard school fête Somerset, July 4th – Held at and around the primary school. Highlights include morris men, cream teas and maypole dancing.

East

Stiffkey village fête Norfolk, August 30th – Held along Stiffkey high street. Highlights include dog races, Punch and Judy and ‘soak-a-bloke’ or ‘drench-a-wench’.

Crowfield village fête

Ipswich, Suffolk, July 18th – Held all through the village. Highlights include a flower show, a fancy dress competition and children’s races.

West

Six Ashes vintage vehicle rally and village fête

Shropshire, July 5th – Held at College farm, Six Ashes Road. Highlights include vintage motorbikes, tractors and cars galore.

Avon Dassett village fête

Southam, Warwickshire, August 1st – Held on Lower Field. Highlights include falconry, dressage and a treasure hunt.

North

Marton Wakes fête

Near Macclesfield, Cheshire, July 18th - Held across the village. One of the oldest fetes in existence, highlights include a craft fair, donkey rides and morris men.

Oxenhope village fête

West Yorkshire, July 18th - Held on the Millennium Green. Highlights include a ‘beat the goalie’ competition, cream teas and an egg-and-spoon race.

Wales

Gwyl Y Felinheli

Gwynedd, July 5th – Held on the village green. Highlights include a lumberjack show, singing on the beach and a parade.

Tircoed village fête

Near Swansea, July 11th – Held across the village. Highlights include live music and dancing, and local foods.

Scotland

Middleton village fête, Midlothian, August 22nd – Held at Middleton village hall.

Highlights include fancy dress competition, cake stalls and children’s games.

Celebration in the Park, Dundee, August 8th - Held in Baxter Park.

Highlights include belly dancers, fairground rides and the local heat of the ‘Sprint Dundee Challenge’.