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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU -travelling funfair

23 replies

aladdinisalive · 21/08/2020 18:28

We have a travelling funfair coming to our local rec ground on Monday for 5 days. AIBU to not want to take the kids?? Just think funfairs are not the cleanest of places and just before school starts again. I am very surprised they are allowed to operate due to social distancing etc. I know my 13 yr old will be desperate to go with her friends. AIBU to keep away and tell her she can't go???

OP posts:
HexyAndIKnowIt · 21/08/2020 19:00

Years ago DD, then about 14, managed to smack her head on a ride and get a concussion.
The fairground refused to let an ambulance on to the site and basically shunted her out of the grounds because they didn't want the accident on their books.
She was fine fortunately, but I regret not kicking up more of a stink at the time.

For that reason alone YANBU.

britnay · 21/08/2020 19:09

the one that comes locally is not very H&S conscious at all. Downright dangerous.

KilljoysDutch · 21/08/2020 19:11

Nottingham has just announced that Goose Fair is cancelled for the 9th time in nearly 750 years due to the pandemic so I don't think you're being unreasonable at all and I'm shocked that they're letting it happen.

Confrontayshunme · 21/08/2020 19:11

Nope nope nope. I have had to tell my kids "what is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular" about 100 times in the last month. The fun fair down the road was one such occasion.

Original poster
aladdinisalive · 21/08/2020 19:18

I am completely shocked that it is allowed, it was supposed to come in May but obviously didn't. I just think it is the council being greedy because they make alot of money from the rental fees and cottoned on to the fact that the last week of the holidays and there are lots of people who will still go and have never stopped doing anything due to covid!!! There was something in our local paper a few weeks back about families flocking to the river and not socially distancing at all and how irresponsible it was - ummmm so what is going to happen here then - but lets just say the council will be making a fair amount of money from it so that is OK!!!!!!

OP posts:
iklboo · 21/08/2020 19:19

One set up on spare ground opposite our house when I was a kid. The waltzers played Kelly Marie's Feels Like I'm In Love 10am - 10pm every day for six weeks. I can't bear to listen to it ever since.

Ariela · 21/08/2020 19:21

I'm surprised they're touring really.
Our local fun fair is Carters Steam Fair, always hot on health and safety, and immaculately turned out. You'll see them a lot on adverts and 1950s/60s drama. They're not touring, but you can hire their dodgems for your group for half an hour - great fun, and as it's all pre-booked and they've enough cars to clean and swap between groups, and I really think minimal risk surely? But an open fair to all and sundry...not so sure it's a good idea..

WiddlinDiddlin · 21/08/2020 19:24

Yeah that's a surprise they are touring... I think I'd avoid.

Another shout out for Carters though... they are ace, but not touring due to covid! I think Joby's dodgems idea is genius and I'd book that if we lived near enough!

Feeling83 · 21/08/2020 19:36

What a load of prejudiced nonsense on this thread! The travelling funfairs are businesses who have very strict health and safety measures to adhere to! They are family run small businesses who do not deserve snobby people on mumsnet to run them down and be downright prejudiced! Saying they are ‘not the cleanest’!!

Hairdressers, beauticians etc are in close contact with clients for prolonged period of times indoors, do you think they should shut up shop indefinitely too OP??

Janaih · 21/08/2020 19:40

Agree with @Feeling83 if your kids wash hands before and after and use hand gel after each ride if they are really strict, what's the problem?

HeyDuggeesCakeBadge · 21/08/2020 19:41

There was a small fair on near my house and we went. Was really clean, they adhered to all H&S and social distancing guidelines, hand sanitiser everywhere - I was really impressed.

traveller11 · 21/08/2020 19:47

We've been to a local funfair twice last week. It was great.
Markers were put down in the queues, spaced out on the rides, sanitiser at the entrances and exits

Go and see the measures in place before writing it off.

These businesses deserve to survive this period too.

StCharlotte · 21/08/2020 19:47

I'm missing Carter's this year. The park across the road from my house is one of their stops. It's such a beautiful spectacle. And they've got a proper switchback which makes that gorgeous rumbling noise.

maddiemookins16mum · 21/08/2020 20:00

Oooh I have many happy memories of St Giles fair (Oxford) the first week in September and Witney Feast the week after.
Both cancelled this year.

Boom45 · 21/08/2020 20:04

I went with my kids yesterday. They were cleaning down the rides between goes and everyone had their temperature taken on the way in. Better social distancing than on the climbing frame in the play park too...

GameSetMatch · 21/08/2020 20:12

We visited one last week, it was great and Covid had been thought about throughout. Hand washing at every ride and the assistants made sure everybody cleaned hands before and after the rides. It had been made cashless and a big fence around to ensure not too many people were crammed in. Lastly they had social distancing markers and every other ‘carriage’ was unavailable.

It felt a lot safer than a theme park we visited on holiday in the U.K.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 21/08/2020 20:18

I'm from Nottingham and I'm gutted that Goose fair has been cancelled. I'd take DS to one if it came to our area.

halcyondays · 21/08/2020 20:33

They’re far more likely to catch something at school than at an open air event. I’m assuming it’s a small fair without massive crowds.

TrickorTreacle · 21/08/2020 20:44

@Janaih

Agree with *@Feeling83* if your kids wash hands before and after and use hand gel after each ride if they are really strict, what's the problem?
Another +1 for *@Feeling83*

Centennials (kids / students from gen Z) are the hardest-hit generation by covid. They have lost their jobs, education and a lot of their social life. These are the people who should be going on dates and setting themselves up for the rest of their life.

The fairgrounds are one of the key elements of growing up, having fun, being with friends. We should let them have the fairgrounds while they can because we don't know how long it will last before the gov't/councils sack them all off again.

SomewhereEast · 21/08/2020 20:45

I'm genuinely not sure why its inherently worse than a playground or any other outdoor family attraction? It would be perfectly possible to keep up cleaning & distancing surely?

doityourselfnow · 22/08/2020 06:18

I'm genuinely not sure why its inherently worse than a playground or any other outdoor family attraction? It would be perfectly possible to keep up cleaning & distancing surely?

This

FippertyGibbett · 22/08/2020 06:47

I personally wouldn’t want her singled out from her friends. So if she’s desperate to go it would be for a set length of time and she would have to gel her hands frequently and after each ride.
I’d also be careful about buying food/drink, it might be best not to.

Rowgtfc72 · 22/08/2020 07:02

Weve got Tuckers here now. Dd is 13 and been twice. Temperature checked on the way in, sanitiser on each ride, all rides wiped down inbetween and she wasnt allowed to ride with anyone she didn't arrive with. No problems.

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