Market town shuts down pubs and cafes as 10,000 travellers arrive for Appleby Horse Fair
EXCLUSIVE: Pub landlord reveals that in previous years police have stood by and let havoc rip fearing they'd be dubbed "racist".
An entire market down has shut down to avoid Gypsy chaos as 10,000 travellers attend the biggest event in their annual calendar.
Gypsies and Travellers from across the UK are on their way to Appleby Horse Fair in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria - one of the biggest of its kind in the world which started on Thursday, June 6.
In previous years locals say crime rates have soared and that police have struggled to control total mayhem - with furious locals reporting all manner of crimes from theft to urine being squirted into car windows.
Now a pub landlord - who lives in the beautiful nearby market town of Kirkby Stephen - has revealed that the whole town is so scared of the bedlam that it’s shut down almost entirely.
He also claimed that in recent years that officers have simply stood by and floundered when trying to deal with “lawless” attendees “as they didn’t want to be seen as racist.”
The landlord, who did not want to be named, spoke to Express.co.uk about the impact that the huge event - with 30,000 attendees - has had in years gone by.
He said: “The three main pubs are all closed - they shut on Friday and won’t be open.”
The closed pubs reportedly include The Taggy Man, The Pennine Inn and the Black Bull along with two smaller bars - The Old Forge and L’al Nook.
The landlord said that the only pub that will open its doors in the pretty little town is the old Labour club - The Club.
He said: “The coffee shops are closed and the only other place that is open is the Costa.
“You go through the town and it’s like a ghost town as nothing is open. Even the cheese and sandwich bar is closed.”
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The usually peaceful town is used as a stopping off point for the fair which is 12 miles away. But he says that this year the police seem more prepared to instantly stop any criminal antics.
He said: “There have been lots of old caravans that come from all over the country - including the south - and they have been around for the last two weeks or so.
“Last weekend Kirkby Stephen was full and they started to trickle away on Monday. In the past they have caused some trouble but the police are on it. There are more police this year than ever before.”
“We have had some nice people - including a traveller family from south Wales and they have been the best guests. But it is a mixed picture.
“The younger kids are scallywags and lawless and previous to this year the police have stood by and watched as they didn’t want to be seen as racist.
“But this year it’s a major operation and they have been really heavy, stopping all the caravans. The crime rate goes up - such as quad bikes getting stolen. But there are some lovely people who cause no trouble.”
Express.co.uk has contacted Cumbria Police for comment.
The event is expected to see 30,000 visitors roughly, 10,000 of them from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community. It runs until Wednesday, June 12, with the main days being today (Thursday, June 6), Friday, June 7, Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9.
