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A Christmas fair has been forced to shut early due to high winds. This weekend would have been the culmination of festivities at Brighton’s new Winter Fayre in Valley Gardens, outside St Peter’s Church. But forecasted high winds have prompted organisers to close the event early over safety fears.
The fair was supposed to be open from 10am until 11pm on Saturday and Sunday. The event was also thwarted by bad weather on its opening day on December 5. High winds led to a tent pole collapsing , forcing the fair to be evacuated.
With Storm Darragh's arrival, the Friday, Saturday and Sunday dates also had to be cancelled . Organisers said in a statement last night: “Having had a fantastic few days of magical entertainment and memories made, from an intimate evening with David Gedge, to Barrioke’s Christmas Hits, and from the Quiffiest of Bingos to the wonder of creative workshops, we are sadly unable to complete our programme of events. “Our sincere thanks go to our fantastic staff and volunteers, and the amazing support received from our stakeholders.
Read more: Hot chocolate, live music and a vegan lunch: my trip to the winter fayre “A special thanks is extended to the wonderful people of Brighton who visited us in their thousands, and showed the true spirit of the festive season. “We’re very sad to be shutting our doors earlier than planned, but we hope everyone understands that safety comes first. “We’ve made efforts to find alternative venues for our scheduled shows, but unfortunately, we couldn’t secure anything on such short notice.
All ticket holders will be contacted directly and refunded over the coming days. “Thank you for joining us this year and we hope to see you at future events.” The fair was a departure from previous Christmas markets held in the city with a greater focus on food and entertainment.
There was a grotto as well as covered seating areas and a range of free music and entertainment. A winter bar served seasonal cocktails, mulled wine and a range of alcoholic and soft drinks while street food from What the Pitta and The Pizza Oven were also part of this year’s offering..
