Downs turned into 'quagmire'

Heavy rain and lorries carrying fairground equipment have turned part of the Downs into a quagmire.

The cold, wet weather slashed spectator numbers at Saturday night's Firework Fiesta, which included fairground rides.

The annual event – in front of the water tower at the top of Blackboy Hill – drew a crowd of just 5,000 instead of the usual 15,000.

A tractor and trucks carrying away heavy equipment afterwards churned up the ground, leaving one entrance to the site deeply rutted and the whole area awash with mud.

A passing motorist, who did not want to be named, stopped to watch the work.

He told the Bristol Evening Post yesterday: "I was horrified. They've left a popular beauty spot looking more like the Somme."

But it is believed the Downs ranger, Gordon Milward, reseeds the area after funfairs in any case.

Maintenance of the Downs is supervised by the Downs Committee, which is made up of Bristol city councillors and members of the Merchant Venturers.

Bristol Round Table – who jointly organise the event with Clifton Rotary Club – say they are in talks with the council about who pays to repair the damage caused over the weekend.

Spokesman Richard Marshall said: "The site was already wet because it's been a very wet year.

"After we got our stuff on site it became clear that it was going to be difficult moving things around.

"The weather deteriorated dramatically on Saturday evening.

"During the afternoon, the rain was light. In previous years it's been like that and this hasn't been an issue."

Asked if the event should have been called off, Mr Marshall said: "It wouldn't have made any difference because the vehicles were already on the site."

Roger Yate, of pressure group Bristol Downs Watch, which has in the past criticised some aspects of the area's maintenance, said: "The Downs ranger usually reseeds after an event like this.

"You can't avoid this sort of problem arising. It is a bit of a nuisance, but in our experience the Downs ranger and his team do repair the damage."

Some organisations put up a financial bond before events to cover possible damage.

This is not the case with the Firework Fiesta.

But a council spokeswoman said the damage, the necessary repairs and who pays for them would be discussed by the Downs Committee, probably in December.

She told the Bristol Evening Post: "Every year there is always some damage whenever events are held on the Downs."

It is not yet known how much profit the Firework Fiesta made. Mr Marshall said a contribution would be made, as usual, to the Lord Mayor's Children's Appeal.

The rest of the proceeds would be shared between charities of the organisers' choosing, he said.