Carnival cut (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Carnival cut

12:15pm Monday 22nd September 2008 in Pewsey By Nigel Kerton

Red tape and health and safety legislation resulted in a much smaller procession than for many years at Pewsey Carnival on Saturday.

Only half as many floats turned out as last year to the disappointment of the huge crowd that always lines the village's streets for this annual floodlit spectacle.

The huge assembly field that the carnival committee owns is normally bristling with activity from about 5.30pm as the floats assemble ready for judging.

However in place of the usual queue of floats waiting to get into the field they arrived in dribs and drabs.

The procession was the culmination of two weeks of events and the other two big crown pullers, the Wine Race and Wheelbeero race, were a spopular as ever.

This year entries for the carnival procession had to be made two weeks in advance. At that time the country was beset with non-stop rain and that would have further discouraged some float builders from entering.

Saturday dawned warm and dry and turned out to be one of the warmest days of the year and the eighth consecutive day with out rain.

A new no-alcolhol ban was strictly enforced with police manning check points where all the contestants were closely searched and a considerable amount of booze in cans and bottles was forfeited by officers.

More officers checked each float to ensure that no alcohol was on board, even to the extent with one float that was a pull along bar of individually checking each of the spirit optics to ensure the bottles were dry.

The organisers of one float who had their cans of beer seized, the Pirates of the Pig, entered by the Pig n Whistle pub at Melksham, vowed never to take part in the Pewsey procession again.

Landlord Tony Dobbin said they had taken part in a number of other carnivals in the west of the county where they had been allowed to have a drink as they processed.

Mr Dobbin said: "As soon as we came into the field they searched the float.

"We had 48 cans of beer and lager between 14 of us and they wanted to take it from us and told us we could collect it on Tuesday from the police station. Eventually they said we could lock it in my car."

Joint licensee Lisa Wells said: "We definitely won't be taking part in Pewsey carnival again."

Some other floats poked fun at the booze ban including Pewsey Running Club's which sported a giant teapot and was called T-Total!

Carnival chairman Richard Giles said he believed the low number of entries was largely due to the police insisting on all the floats registering two weeks ahead of the procession.

Mr Giles said: "Everything had to be at short notice after the police raised concerns.

"We had to file a traffic plan stating how many floats would be taking part."

Mr Giles said he was confident, however, that numbers would bounce back up in future years.

"We anticipated that numbers would be down this year but we are sure they will have recovered next year."

This year floats had to prove they had their own public liability insurance and some said this had cost them £110 to organise. This sort of extra expenditure could obviously deter family entries.

Mr Giles said he believed the bew rules and regulations could well lead to the formation of more carnival clubs so that costs could be shared.

Despite the red tape the standard of the floats was as high as ever and what was lacking in quantity was made up for in quality.

It was the last carnival for Frank Chivers and Sons of Devizes because they are retiring after 50 years on the carnival circuit. They ended on a high note with their Mama Mia float taking first place in the trade class.

There were outstanding tableaux from the Pewsey Old Broilers (Baywatch), the Ritchie family and friends (It's all Grease to us), Coopers Originals (Pewsey Pearlies), Pig n Whistle (Pirates of the Pig),PVADS (Hairspray) and Pewsey Hasbeens (Oliver).

The walking classes had their own spectacular entries, too, with Pewsey Primary School (Under the Sea), Fred Baer and friends (Naughti-Less) and a group of ex Pewsey Vale students (Hot Fuzz).

The bands taking part were Kings Korner, Kennet Brass and Oi Sambistas Sama Band.

Results:

• Commercial: 1 Frank Civers and Son ( Mama Mia), 2 Elmtree Fencing and Landscaping (Dr Who), 3 MDN Shotblasting and Powder Coating (Recycling).

• Private groups:1 Rocket Man (Amor and Plank families and friends), 2 Its All Grease to Us (Ritchie family and friends), 3 Fifi and the Flower Pots.

• Youth organisations: Toyland (Pewsey Brownies).

• Adult organisations and clubs: Party Animals, 2 Oliver( Pewsey Hasbeens), 3 Pig n Whistle (Pirates).

• Walking entries: Under the Sea (Pewsey primary School), 2 T-Total (Pewsey Running Club), 3 Naughti-Less (Fred Baer and friends).

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