THE first Evesham Mop Fair in a new location has been hailed as a "success" by the town's mayor.

This year was the first time that the mop had been held in the High Street, after it was forced to move from the Old Brewery Car Park which has made way for Waitrose.

Cllr Richard Jones, mayor of Evesham was complimentary about the mop, adding that there would be talks on how to improve it in future years.

He said: "I thought, that for the first time in a new location the mop was a success.

"The feedback I have received has been positive.

"As it was the first year, there are improvements which can be made, which we will look at.

"The signage could be clearer for example and we will look at the (diversion) route to see what improvements can be made for future years.

"It is never going to be perfect for everybody, but to have a mop there may have to be extra traffic in the town centre for a few days.

"Overall, I thought it went very well, and the high turnouts show that there is a lot of interest in having a mop."

The mop fair, which ran from Thursday October 5 to Saturday October 7 saw a number of prominent roads closed.

Not everyone was happy with the facilities at the fair however, as resident Roger Gibson criticised the number of toilet facilities at this year's fair as an "appalling oversight."

Mr Gibson said that visitors were being forced to go into pubs and coffee shops to use their toilets on the first night of the fair.

He said: "I think the lack of toilets is an appalling oversight.

"I needed to go during the mop fair and there were not any facilities, the signs are still up for Merstow Green toilets but you get there and they have been knocked down for the new Waitrose.

"The toilets at the arcade are closed and last night (Thursday) the Oat Street toilets were closed.

"I think the council should get some Portaloos for the fair."

Wychavon District Council responded by opening the Oat Street toilets and toilets at the viaduct later in the evening for the last two days of the fair.