A FUN fair has been cancelled after council officers blocked its way into the town centre.
Wilson’s Amusements was stopped from coming on to Church Green East on Monday (September 15) after Redditch Borough Council officers used their vans to block roads leading to the site.
Tommy Wilson, who owns the fair, said they had been bringing the rides into Redditch as part of a covenant agreed by the council in 1962 which stated they could use the land for the weekend nearest September 17 every year.
But over the last six years the council had allegedly tried to stop them which has since led to legal disputes with no resolved solution.
“We are entitled to be here for the fair as it says in the covenant. We have been coming since the 1920s and my family support all events that take place for local charities,” he told the Standard.
“Our family has been here for 140 years and they helped build Redditch, then we get treated like this.
“All I want to do is exercise my right to hold a fair here in this town but I have been blocked at every way in.
“We don’t know why we can’t come here when it says in the covenant we can and the council know this.
“We won’t be able to have the fair here now, it is closed. I know a lot of people will be disappointed.”
A council spokeswoman said they had not given permission for Wilson’s Amusements or any other companies to operate a fun fair in the town centre.
“We have previously made it clear to the company involved, both directly and through their solicitors, Messrs Kerwoods, that such permission will not be forthcoming although it appears that our comments in this regard have been ignored.
“We are now working in conjunction with the police and Worcestershire County Council, as the responsible Highways Authority, to take whatever action is necessary to resolve the situation.
“Our primary concern remains the safety of the public and their ability to use the town centre in a normal manner with minimal risk.”
