Poet speaks out as ‘noisy’ fair sets up on private land

Joolz Denby, of Thornbury, Bradford, said residents were very upset about the presence of the Leeds Road fair which opened on private land on Friday.

She said: “Residents feel they are powerless. We have a lady on the street who is ill, so it is awful for her. We also have a man who is housebound and another who works 24/7.

“This is a quiet cul-de-sac off Leeds Road which is home to several families.

“Some people think they can ride roughshod over the common people. Lives are being made miserable for no good reason.”

Ms Denby said the noise, music and flashing lights from the rides would be very stressful.

She has written to local Lib Dem MP David Ward and questioned Bradford Council about the licence application process that fair operators are required to follow.

The fair opened on Friday and is expected to run for 10 days.

Nobody was available from the fair to comment.

A spokesman for Bradford Council confirmed that the fair operators had submitted a late application last week. Officers had contacted the Health and Safety Executive about the fair.

The council spokesman added: “The funfair off Leeds Road is on private land and it does not need our consent. The funfair operators submitted a late application to the Public Safety Liaison Group about the fair and we let the relevant authorities know.”

The spokesman said the group would normally meet to discuss applications and give the event organiser advice on how to run a safe event but the application had arrived on Thursday too late for it to consider.

“We have made the Health and Safety Executive aware of the funfair as they are the regulatory body for funfairs and only they are able to take further action,” he added.

“We have asked for additional warden patrols in the area and have informed the neighbourhood policing team.”

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said officers were making inquiries at the site.

Although only initial inquiries have been made it is understood that officers do not have any concerns about health and safety issues.