Ledbury Carnival will go on despite drop in crowd numbers (From Hereford Times)

Ledbury Carnival will go on despite drop in crowd numbers

4:42pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in Local News

PROCEEDS and attendances at this year’s weather-hit Ledbury Carnival were down on previous years, but organisers have issued assurances that the show will go on.

This year’s carnival, staged as ever on August bank holiday Monday, saw money from bucket collections down from more than £2,300 last year to £1,800.

Numbers were also hit, with about 7,000 fun-seekers crowding into the town compared to 10,000-plus in previous years.

However, carnival committee chairman Steve Clegg said the shortfall was not significant enough to affect planning next year’s event.

He said: “This year’s carnival was a success. It was a bit damp, but there was a good procession and a goodturn out. The locals supported us, but fewer people travelled in.”

The Carnival Committee met on Monday to discuss the carnival and to look ahead to next year, including coming up with possible ideas for a theme.

The final decision concerning a theme will be taken at the Carnival Committee’s annual general meeting on Monday, November 12, at 8pm in the Master’s House. Whatever decisions are made, it looks as though Mr Clegg will still be the man at the helm for 2013.

Despite being the carnival chairman for 15 years he has no plans of giving up just yet.

“I suppose I still enjoy it. If the committee wants me to carry on, I shall,” he said.