Warwick market closed for two weeks to keep tradition of Mop Fair

The weekly Warwick market will be closed for two weeks to keep the tradition of the Mop Fair.

Earlier this month it was announced that the annual Mop Fair, which usually takes place in the town centre, would be cancelled.

Started as a hiring fair for local labourers and employers, the Warwick Mop Fair and runaway Mop have been held on consecutive Fridays and Saturdays in October for more than 700 years.

Despite the cancellation of the Mop Fair, which was due to take place this weekend, the weekly market will still be closed.

The market operators, CJ's Events Warwickshire, said that despite the Mop fair no longer going ahead they felt it was to not hold the market to 'keep tradition'.

The news of the market being cancelled has been met with some criticism.

One person, who wishes to remain anonymous, got in touch with the Courier and said that the market was important to customers and that it should have been allowed to carry on.

They said: "I learned that the market is to be closed for the next two Saturdays to make way for The Mop, which is actually not to take place.

"So the traders lose their income for two weeks and us shoppers are unable to source the great quality fresh food that the traders supply.

"Our market is a lifeline for customers, providing a safe way to shop for great fresh produce.

"Since it re-opened it has been bustling each Saturday and I know that as well as providing market traders with customers it also attracts visitors into Warwick town centre who may also patronise the town centre shops and other places."

Jamie Walker of CJ’s Events Warwickshire, which operates the market, said: "Although the Mop Fair has been cancelled on October 17 and October 24, we will remain closed as usual over the two weeks.

"This coming Saturday the Mop Fair will be taking place in a much smaller format and will host a few children’s rides and the Mayor will carry out the usual Charter reading to keep the tradition going.

"Therefore there would be no room to accommodate the usual market.

"For the following week, whilst nothing is taking place, the management have decided, in consultation with Warwick District Council to remain closed based on a number of factors.

"This is an annual occurrence which has taken place for many, many years and many market visitors are in the routine of us being closed for these two weeks.

"I appreciate we are not in normal times, but we feel it is best to remain closed to primarily keep tradition.

"However, our events and operation teams have worked above and beyond since lockdown to ensure our business, in particular our weekly and monthly markets can operate safely, in line with central and local government advice.

"Our whole team have been, and remain under huge strain and pressure to ensure our markets remain safe and successful for ourselves, the council, traders and the town as a whole, and we feel it is in the best interest of our colleagues well-being to remain closed for the second week of the Mop Fair for our team to recover from what has been a non-stop couple of months."

Warwick market is due to return on Saturday October 31 and then every Saturday up until Christmas.