Festive food, gifts galore and a host of yuletide entertainment are expected to lure crowds to Bishop’s Stortford Christmas Fayre on Saturday (December 4).
But event organiser Bishop’s Stortford Town Council has asked people not to attend if they show any symptoms of Covid-19, if they need to isolate upon their return from abroad or if they have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
The council made the plea on its Facebook page at lunchtime on Sunday (Nov 28) in light of the emergence of the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
It was announced on Sunday that a third case has been detected in the UK: a person who visited the Westminster area of London but is no longer in the UK. The first two cases – in Brentwood and Nottingham – were confirmed on Saturday (Nov 27).
Officials said all three cases were connected to travel in southern Africa, where the new variant, which has a higher re-infection risk, was first identified and reported to the World Health Organization from South Africa on Wednesday (Nov 24).
In response, the UK Government has announced that face masks will be compulsory in shops and on public transport in England, and UK arrivals are expected to have to take PCR tests from Tuesday.
Meanwhile, at Stortford’s Christmas Fayre, to accommodate the expected throng, road closures will be in place to accommodate more than 100 stalls and to pedestrianise the town centre.
They will come into effect from 6am on Saturday and remain in place until 7pm, with access only for pedestrians and emergency vehicles.
The closures will run from North Street’s junction with Hadham Road, along Market Square, Potter Street and down South Street to its junction with Station Road. High Street will be closed up to the Basbow Lane junction. There will be access only to Apton Road and diversions will be in place.
During the same period, the one-way systems in Church Street, Water Lane and Barrett Lane will be suspended, enabling vehicles to travel in both directions.
Additionally, Church Street, Apton Road, Newtown Road, Water Lane and Barrett Lane will have a weight restriction of 7.5 tonnes.
Windhill21 and St Michael’s CofE primary schools are offering parking for fayre visitors in return for donations to school funds.
The town council said: “Unfortunately, any road closure almost inevitably causes some inconvenience to a minority of people. We do, of course, endeavour to minimise both the level of inconvenience and the number of people affected, but it is not always possible to eliminate it completely.”
In relation to the Omicron coronavirus variant, it added: “We are asking that the general public and traders do not attend Bishop’s Stortford Christmas Fayre if they are showing any symptoms of Covid-19, if they have travelled abroad and need to isolate upon their return, or they have been contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
“The fayre has been reduced in size and stalls are separated, however historically there has been crowds at the fayre. Please consider whether you would be comfortable in a crowd, should there be one. We encourage you to be mindful of others and keep your distance.”
As well as specialised stalls, the fayre – which is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm – will incorporate the regular Saturday market and the monthly farmers and craft market.
- In North Street, there will be a funfair, Santa will be in his grotto at Intercounty estate agents and Bishop’s Stortford Salvation Army band will be performing outside Florence Walk from 2pm to 3pm.
- There will be troupes of roaming entertainers: A team of magic Christmas elves will take to the streets from 9.30am to 1pm and Ice Queen stilt walkers will show off their skills from 12pm to 4pm.
- Anna and Elsa, characters from the Disney film Frozen, will meet and greet youngsters from 9.30am to 11.30am and a ‘bubbleologist’ will add to the merriment from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
In South Street, a performance area will feature:
- 9.30am Cara and Jodi
- 10.20am Bishop’s Stortford Music Centre
- 11.15am Bishop’s Stortford Ukulele Society
- 12.15am Woodwind of Stortford
- 1.05pm Belly Belles
- 1.35pm Isabel Hospice Christmas shop window competition winner announcement
- 1.55pm Bishop’s Stortford Brass Band
- 3.55pm Clark and Johnson
A second performance area on the terrace of Host in Market Square will include:
- 11am Somewhere To Sing choir
- 12.15pm Rock Choir
- 3.10pm KBD Dance
- 3.30pm Italia Conti Associates Bishop’s Stortford
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