Addington Street Christmas Fair cancelled due to bad weather

Addington Street fair

The Addington Street Christmas Fair scheduled for tomorrow (December 10) has been cancelled due to expected high winds and rain.

Stall holders were called this afternoon to notify them that the event had been cancelled.

It would have been the first Christmas fair run by the Addington Street team.

The Addington Street Community group, which won this year’s Obelisk award for best event, had worked on a packed programme of attractions for the day.

Scores of stalls, including regulars from the handmade and vintage fair, as well as music, street entertainers, a treasure hunt and a festive photo craft pop-up had been booked.

Keep people safe

A spokesman for the Addington Street Community Group said: “As organisers of the Westcliff Christmas Fair we have been tracking the weather for Sunday, December 10, and despite decent conditions today, tomorrow looks really bad. Our main priority must always to be to keep people safe and with rain and high winds forecast we feel we can not do this with so many temporary structures on the street.

“We are gutted to have let people down but hope you will understand. The committee have spent months in preparation for our first Westcliff Christmas Fair, all volunteers who live and love our town and people.

“We are presently ringing and sending e-mails to all stall holders and entertainers to give them additional information, but this will take time.

“This is the last thing we wanted to do but rather this decision than someone get hurt or worse by tables, stalls and tents which we would not have been able to secure adequately given the prospect of high winds.

Street businesses open

“Please accept our apologies and note that all the usual businesses: The Queen Charlotte, Vinyl Head, Falstaff Hotel and open all day and into the evening with great food, drink and entertainment. Paraphernalia, Lee Nichols, Lydia Wood-Powel and Marcus will also be open for unique Christmas gift ideas.”

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning of high winds for areas extending to the south east.