Carnival organisers in Burnham-On-Sea have this week met the owner of a holiday park to ease his concerns that trade will be hit by a weekend of extended road closures.
As first reported here, Queen’s Drive will be fully shut for the first time from the Tesco roundabout right through to the M5 roundabout at Edithmead during the carnival weekend from 9pm on Saturday November 2nd until 1am on Tuesday November 5th.
The extended road closure has been introduced by carnival organisers following a request from the police that Frank Foley Parkway is not used for the parking of carnival carts in an attempt to improve access for emergency vehicles.
It will be the first time that the usual diversion route around the carts via Edithmead Lane will not be open, concerning bosses at Home Farm Holiday Park, which is sited in the road.
Park boss Steve Atkinson expressed concern that the restricted access will affect his business at the park during what is traditionally a busy carnival weekend.
Members of the Carnival Committee met Mr Atkinson this week and have come to a “mutually agreeable” position.
“We had considered the implications for Home Farm Holiday Park prior to our submission for a road closure, but must apologise for not consulting the park earlier,” carnival spokeswoman Linda Bullimore told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“We had a meeting with Home Farm Holiday Park this week where we discussed suitable access and are very pleased to have come to a mutually agreeable situation where Home Farm will remain open as usual to its touring and static customers.”
“The leisure club will also remain open as per usual in the morning. The carnival team will be installing signs to the site from the Edithmead roundabout and allowing access to holiday park visitors and Stodden’s Lane residents only.”
Home Farm’s Steve Atkinson said: “We are happy with the outcome of the discussions between us, the police and the carnival committee’s traffic management team and fully support the Highbridge and Burnham-On-Sea Carnival 2013.”
There remain concerns among many residents, however, that the extended rpad closure will cause road traffic chaos on the night of the fireworks, Sunday November 3rd, and on carnival night itself, Monday November 4th.
