Shropshire Michaelmas Fair organisers received 'personal and online abuse' after being put in a no-win situation, says council
A south Shrophire town council has said it had no choice but to withdraw its endorsement and participation in a weekend event which was cancelled on Monday.
Since the organisers of the Bishop's Castle Michaelmas Fair announced that Saturday's event was cancelled there has been a blitz of criticism from local people about the decision, with some suffering personal abuse and criticism on social media and personally.
Now Bishop's Castle Town Council says the rules around mourning following the Queen's death have put the Michaelmas Fair committee in a no win situation.
A spokesman for Bishop's Castle Town Council said: "The town council understands the disappointment and frustration caused by the cancellation of this year’s Michaelmas Fair however the organisers were put in a no-win situation and are not deserving of the criticism and personal abuse they are suffering on social media and personally."
The council spokesman said that the town council and its councillors are "bound by protocols and civic responsibilities that have to be observed during a period of national mourning." And the statement added that "these protocols prevent them from taking an active role in certain events."
The decision to cancel the event was down to the committee but the town council says it supports that decision.
The spokesman added that: "The Michaelmas Fair committee were rightly concerned at continuing the event without the endorsement and participation of the council and its councillors and we therefore sadly have to support their difficult decision."
