Published by Gary Witcomb March 2022 and circulated to help fight the stigma!
Things you might not know about your local Visiting Funfair
The people who run the fairs in the UK are Called “Showmen”
Showmen are not Gypsies
There are aprox 5000 Showmen’s families who travel the UK with there Funfairs and have done so for generations carrying on the family business that the Fathers / Grandfather & Great Grandfathers started passing from father to son and many are 5th / 6th Generation Showmen
Most Showmen are Members of the Showmen’s Guild & have to follow strict guidelines & Rules
The Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain is over 100 year old and often use inflatables as a form of attraction at UK events.
The Showmen pay there Taxes & Insurances just like any other Self Employed Business
Did you Know If the Ride or Equipment plays Music they have to have a performing rights licence, Even on Disco style bouncy castles!
Did you know all fairground equipment has to be independently tested to ensure the safe operation of that equipment and also to ensure the safety of the general public and if they don’t have a test Certificate they can not operate. This certificate is either ADIPS or PIPA. Even the bouncy castles, inflatables and slides have to be tested to ensure they are 1005 safe for use.
The Showmen follow Established routes (Run of Fairs) and have followed these routes for generations they don’t just turn up on your local park with rides, bouncy castles, slides and the like without permission
They pay the land owners (either private or council) rent to use the land they do not just turn up and use the land Free
If they are to operate on grass they have to pay the land owner a bond to repair any damage due to the great British weather
They have to follow all the rules the land owner place on them, so if they have to fence the fair in or supply toilets or have to supply bins / skips for the rubbish they have to do so at there own cost or they can’t operate
Did you know Showmen have to have permission to put up road side Posters and they have to be removed them after the event has finished
Many Fairs in the UK are Charters granted 100’s of years ago by Kings & Queens and continue to this day, many are over 700 years old
Showmen’s Families live in Caravans throughout the travelling season (Trailers or Wagons as there know to Showmen) after the season finishes they return to there official winter quarters (yards as the there know to the Showmen)
Published by Gary Witcomb March 2022
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