Mop organiser William Wilson on why Stratford Mop is staying put in the town and what should be done about the traffic

Organisers of the Stratford Mop are adamant they are here to stay, despite ongoing traffic congestion leading to calls to move the funfair out of the town centre.

“The Mop is moving nowhere, it would take a big act of parliament to move it,” William Wilson of Wilson Funfairs told the Herald this week.

While works on Birmingham Road will be lifted for this year’s Mop, which starts tomorrow (Friday), growing frustration with road closures, crawling traffic and exhaust fumes have re-ignited the old debate about where the Stratford Mop should be located.

However, Mr Wilson stressed that the Mop provides entertainment and drama for the town, and is not responsible for the road infrastructure.

“Going back to the 1950s traffic has been talked about,” he said. “I remember plans for a new bridge and bypass being put forward in 1955 – that’s overdue!

“And yet we still have the Clopton Bridge, a historic monument, clogged with traffic. The real nitty-gritty is that Stratford should be bypassed.

“There’s been a fortune spent on the Warwick Road – that’s a lovely gesture but it would be far better spent on a proper bypass. The council is not outward-looking enough, we need to look at how other towns and cities have done it.”

The Showman’s Guild members own the charters to operate various Mop fairs around the country. The Stratford Mop and Runaway Mop have been run by the Wilson family for 52 years, with seven generations involved.

This year’s Mop is on Friday and Saturday, with the Runaway on 25th-26th October.

“We organise it on behalf of the people,” Mr Wilson continued. “The charter to put on the fair was granted in 1610 and since then new laws 100 years ago have strengthened that right. The only way it would stop would be if people didn’t come, but it’s what Joe Public in Stratford wants.”

The last time there were legal enquiries as to the status of the fair was when Stratford District Council conducted a poll in 2004.

“That vote saw 87 per cent of people want to keep the Mop [in town],” said Mr Wilson. “The traffic is no worse than any other bank holiday – in fact on most Mop days the traffic is a lot smoother and well planned. It’s a red herring to blame the Mop for the traffic – we’re being beaten with the worn end of a stick. People should be looking at what’s great about the Mop.”

Mr Wilson, who comes from Stratford, said people should be proud of the Mop and how it draws people into the town.

“I want to tell you a simple story: there’s a guy, a physiotherapist from Coventry, and each year without fail he takes his wife into Stratford for the Mop. They have a walk through the town - our town - and he buys a hot dog from the same stall each year - and that’s the only time he comes to Stratford. That tells you what it's all about.

“We have enough bad times, to enjoy yourself is fantastic.”

Acknowledging the disruption, Mr Wilson said: “Let’s be frank about this, it turns the town on its head; it all becomes a bit mad for a couple of days. It’s theatrical, but that’s the Mop.

“I live and was brought up here and it’s an honour to put it on.”

He added: “There aren’t as many Christmas and summer fairs - and look at the changes to the Victorian Christmas market. The problem is you get people making it expensive or a group saying it’s not safe, and then things are shut down or not financially viable.”

He’s also disappointed that town centre businesses are not more supportive of the fair, and willing to work together.

“It's a shame traders are against us and ignorant about us. We would like to see a local committee doing more to help integrate businesses, retail and hospitality into what we do. Like with the Munich Beer Festival, that started as a fair and is now a big festival that benefits everyone.

“Stratford is withering, the high street is dying, and it’s a shame. It’s a collective problem, something needs to be done, and entertainment is the way forward - and fairgrounds are part of that. Organisers need to wake up.”

However a business owner in Stratford, who wishes to remain anonymous after being vandalised during the Mop last year, said the ideas were unrealistic.

“We simply don’t have the same demographic as the Mop, which tends to be families with small children or younger teens by themselves. The footfall takes a massive nosedive, people avoid the town. I appreciate the sentiment of the Mop organiser saying let’s work together, but they have the advantages and all the power.

“One gift business I talked to has rides pumping out fumes into the shop - it’s not welcome.”

The business owner said many firms were in despair over further traffic problems the Mop brings.

“I’ve been speaking to a lot of local businesses who have been crippled by the Warwick Road and then Birmingham Road developments - so the full closure that goes on with the Mop is hitting especially hard. I know it’s a great tradition, but not enough consideration is given to those of us in the town centre.”

Meanwhile councillors said they supported the Mop being in the town centre but would look into ongoing traffic issues.

County councillor Kate Rolfe (Lib Dem) said while the current traffic problems were not a reason to move the Mop, she would be asking questions about ways in which roadworks can be better co-ordinated.

She said that when emergency work is needed, there should be a way to ensure utilities cannot set up traffic controls and then come back later to do the work.

Meanwhile Cllr George Cowcher (Lib Dem), deputy leader of Stratford District Council, said: “I’ve grown up in Stratford and value the Mop - it’s one of our cornerstones, like the Birthday Celebrations. We are starting to work with the new Business Improvement District and hopefully that would be a useful forum for any problems that businesses encounter because of the Mop.”

The Mop’s rides and stalls will be set up across the town centre tomorrow (Friday) to open from 3pm to 11pm, and 11am to 11pm on Saturday.

Road closures will be in place from just after midnight on the Friday until 7.30am on Sunday (13th October).

This includes Greenhill Street, Rother Street (from Ely Street), Wood Street, Union Street, Bridge Street, Windsor Street (from Mansell Street), Meer Street, Henley Street and High Street.