Wells prepares for its biggest night of the year
By Wells_Jaqui | Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 10:55
Wells Carnival is less than a month away and final preparations for the city's largest event of the year are underway.
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Wells Carnival just around the corner
Being held on Friday, November 11, the carnival will see dozens of brightly-lit carts work their way around the city, interspersed by walking entertainers.
This year, the parade will start at 7.30pm, half an hour later than in 2010.
The other big change for 2011 is the controversial new route, which has been changed for health and safety reasons.
The new route sees the carnival entries start at the Sherston Inn, and then process up Priory Road, turning left into Princes Road.
From there the procession will turn right up Chamberlain Street, go past Carter Jonas and St Joseph and St Teresa Church, and then left up New Street to the junction with the A39.
It then turns left along the A39 Mountery Road and Portway, before finally feeding left into Strawberry Way to finish outside of Lidl.
The route has divided opinions as the carnival will no longer pass along the High Street.
Opponents to the plan say it will take trade from the city centre when it should be supporting it, and they say the new route will lack atmosphere as it is generally on wider roads.
However, supporters of the scheme point out that that other carnival that has moved its route to the outskirts, North Petherton, has seen the charity collections increase massively and that the wider roads mean less delays to the procession, making it more enjoyable to watch.
Whatever your viewpoint, it will not be much longer now before we get to see the efforts of months of work by the carnival clubs, including the city's Cobra CC, Globe CC, Gorgons CC and Mendip Vale CC.
Comments
It's all about sponsorship. Most of the public don't realise how much is required to keep carnival going but instead of looking at ways of communicating this message via better marketing, etc. the carnival chairman simply got it into his head that all the high st businesses make a 'fortune' from the evening so should contribute directly. In November last year, he published an open threat in the Journal saying that if local businesses didn't contribute then he'll change the route away from the high st.
Lo & behold, in March out comes an announcement about a route change but the reason has 'magically' changed into that old chestnut, Health & Safety. I won't go into all of the reasons why this excuse is a farce, I've said them publicly already, you'll just have to take my word on it!
But what's done is done, so let's all just enjoy the new procession...
By Kings Head at 16:57 on 18/10/11
ReportWasn't it because one of the floats caught fire very close to some 1st floor flats then? Every year there are massive delays mid-procession when the larger floats veer dangerously close to the buildings and have even become wedged against walls, popping their lightbulbs as they progress.
The carnival committees state the reason was due to H&S concerns - what was the personal petty gripe then?
By Wells_Jaqui at 16:39 on 18/10/11
ReportJust a quick correction but the route was NOT changed for health & safety reasons. It was changed out of spite to prove a misguided point! It's no secret that I was one of the opponents of the change but that had very little to do with my business being on the High St, it was much more to do with one person being able to make such a big change to an historical event because of a petty, personal gripe!
I hope everyone has a great night, I'm sure they will, and the town's venues will still be busy, so enjoy the party afterwards too :o)
By Kings Head at 12:30 on 18/10/11
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