The 2011 Beer Walk.
Questions have been raised about the reason for cancelling next year’s Saddleworth Beer Walk. The walk, which helps to raise thousands of pounds for good charitable causes, has been axed because of lack of finance for policing and marshals.
Paul Steele, a Diggle resident put in a Freedom of Information request earlier this year, and found that this summer’s Beer Walk cost approximately £4,800 for policing.
However, the estimate given to the Saddleworth Round Table to stage next year’s Beer Walk event was £58,000. The discrepancy between the £58,000 and £4,800 has begun to raise questions amongst the community.
In an open letter to the council and police, Mr Steele asked: “I know I am not the only one thinking on this emotive issue. Please show us how the costs add up and at least listen.”
The Beer Walk’s Chairman Dave McDougall said: “It’s an absolute tragedy that an event which has raised so much money for worthy causes - and really put Saddleworth on the map - has to be scrapped.”
He added: “After the event police stressed they support the principle of Round Table raising money for worthy causes, but, with complaints from residents, they need to balance the views of the wider Saddleworth community against those of the organisers.”
When Saddleworth News asked Greater Manchester Police about this, they said: “Greater Manchester Police supports a large number of community events in Saddleworth, however it is clear that this event would require a significant rise in the number of police officers deployed in order to maintain public order and prevent crime.”
The GMP spokeswoman added: “The organisers have been advised that if they want to organise a similar event in the future they would have to pay for additional policing costs in accordance with national guidelines.”
Meanwhile, Oldham Council has insisted that the Whit Friday band contests are not under threat and no plans are being made to have them axed as well.
Cllr Jean Stretton, a member of the council’s Cabinet, said in a statement on Friday: “We fully appreciate the value and heritage of the Whit Friday events and their significance to Saddleworth in terms of tourism, the local economy, and for local residents. Why on earth would we want to see this fantastic event stopped?”
She also criticised some newspaper reports, saying: “It was disappointing that some people linked the band contest to this week’s announcement about the cancellation of next year’s Saddleworth Beer Walk.
The Oldham Council statement can be read in full here.
Details of Paul Steele’s Freedom of Information request about the Beer Walk are available here.
Are you sure that the police don’t think its the Salford beer walk. How the folk can £58,000 be a realist cost for policing such a small place.
“We fully appreciate the value and heritage of the Whit Friday events and their significance to Saddleworth in terms of tourism, the local economy, and for local residents. Why on earth would we want to see this fantastic event stopped?”
Why is this any different to the Beerwalk? Surely this takes more planning, more roads are closed and more police officers are required which in turn would hike the cost up to more than what the Beerwalk would require!
There is still no explanation and breakdown of expected costs to justify the jump from £4800 to £58000. How many more police are they suggesting will be needed “in order to maintain public order and prevent crime.” ?????
Well done Paul - great bit of digging - some serious questions have to be asked and the police need to be accountable to the local community and businesses. Decisions like this can’t just be made by the police.