NAILSEA'S Victorian street fair has been cancelled - after issues with insurance and a lack of support from local businesses

NAILSEA'S Victorian street fair has been cancelled - after issues with insurance and a lack of support from local businesses.The fayre, due to take place this Friday was cancelled for the first time in its 14-year history by organisers Helen Hamblin and Councillor Liz Frappell.The pair blamed the decision on issues regarding insurance and the fact that just three traders in the town had paid towards the costs of the annual festive event.Mrs Frappell, a trader in the town, said: "The insurance cost for us to cover the event is £600."Then we were told for that to be valid, we had to ensure all the street traders and stalls had their own public liability insurance."This would have been a logistical nightmare for many stallholders, which are local charitable groups."Many of them probably don't even have insurance and the fact that they only make at the most a couple of hundred pounds from the event, then it wouldn't be worth them attending."Mrs Frappell said local businesses in the town were asked to pay £30 towards the cost of running the street fair, but only three responded."With the problems with insuring the event and the fact we have had little support from traders, a decision was taken to cancel this year's event", added Mrs Frappell. "A lot of hard work had gone in on our part but we felt as if we had no choice."The pair then faced ringing around the 40 stalls which had booked places for the evening and all the entertainment, including fairground operators.The event is supported each year by a grant from Nailsea Town Council.Nailsea Town Council chairman Marston Dufty said: " It is very unfortunate the event has had to be cancelled."Because of the difficulties the organisers have encountered with insurance this year, they were left with little choice."I hope that these issues may be resolved and next year's event can go ahead.