Horse fair returns to Kenilworth this weekend

The second Kenilworth horse fair of the year is coming to Kenilworth this weekend.
Land off Thickthorn Island where the horse fair takes placeLand off Thickthorn Island where the horse fair takes place
Land off Thickthorn Island where the horse fair takes place

The fair will take place on land off Thickthorn Island on Saturday July 30 and Sunday July 31, with Sunday expected to be the busiest day.

Travellers started to arrive in anticipation of the fair as early as Wednesday July 27.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Traffic management plans will be put in place by Warwick District Council to cope with the increased pressure on Kenilworth’s roads.

Community safety manager at the district council Pete Cutts said: “We’re doing everything we normally do to ease traffic.

“We’ve got a traffic management plan in place which is done with the organisers.

Residents should try and avoid the roads to and from Thickthorn if at all possible.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The busiest horse fair tends to be the first one of the year, which was held in April. The July horse fairs do not usually attract quite as many people but the roads are still expected to be very busy.

Despite this, PC Caine Pickering of Kenilworth’s Safer Neighbourhood Team insisted police would not underestimate the horse fair.

He said: “Historically the July fair is nowhere near as busy as April’s, and we’re not expecting as many people to come.

“That said, we’re not treating it any less seriously than the previous one and the same operation will be put in place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There will be an enhanced police prescence on Friday, particularly during the evening, and on Saturday and Sunday.”

Around 20,000 people were drawn to the last horse fair partly because of the appearance of heavyweight champion boxer Tyson Fury and Celebrity Big Brother star Paddy Doherty.

However, apart from traffic-related incidents, Warwickshire Police said the fair was trouble-free.

The final horse fair of the year, which is usually busier than the July horse fair, is due to take place on Saturday September 24 and Sunday September 25.