The future of Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire is set to be a ‘professionally organised, ticketed, two-day festival with live bands, country crafts, traditional games and overnight camping’, according to organisers of the ‘Save the Cheese Roll’ campaign – with a new date of Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June 2011.
The campaign, due to be officially launched by the Cheese Rolling Committee on Thursday 20 January 2011, is designed to ensure the survival of the ancient tradition at Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester, with plans for the new-look event due to be unveiled next week.
The Cheese Rolling has been described as ‘the victim of its own popularity in 2009 when 15,000 spectators turned up to a venue equipped to hold only 5,000, resulting in the cancellation of the 2010 event due to fears over traffic and crowd safety.’
Cheese Rolling Committee spokesman Nigel Thomas said: ‘The event really needs to change dramatically if it is to survive. In its present form it attracts just too many people for us to handle safely.
‘So we have brought in E&MS to organise a completely new event to include elements of the old Cooper’s Hill Wake and Moose to co-ordinate publicity and sponsorship.’
Peter Allison, director of E&MS, said: ‘We would also like to reintroduce the ‘wake’ series of rustic games and competitions, like shin kicking, tug-of-war, dancing for ribbons, wrestling for a belt, ducking for oranges, bobbing for penny loaves, climbing the maypole and coconut shies.’
Tickets are due to go on sale in March 2011, see Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling for more information.
© SoGlos
Thursday 13 January 2011
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