Prue writes about the report on our meeting 10th of May, 2004, in the final weeks before the Allendale Fair: “Julie and David’s brainchild ‘Nothing Like the Buzzcocks’ event on Friday night raised circa £430/gate, £650/bar, raffle and karaoke amounts TBA. Thanks to Nige and all who made it happen.” We’re looking now for reminiscences about that event, please!
It seems, however, that a reasonable kitty of collateral was being built up against the anticipated Fair expenses, and then suddenly, seemingly without warning, but certainly we’d had plenty of advance notice . . . it was here, the Allendale Fair!
The strong men too were present in the square, and of course they attracted a large audience:
It looked, on the whole, to be a rather cloudy day, so the glowing shirts were definitely a brightener.
The formal Fair de-brief took place apart from the regular Business Meeting minutes, on the 14th of June; it’s difficult without contemporaneous notes to peer back into history to fillet out what the consensus on the event actually was. However, it’s probably fair! to note that the transition from West Tynedale Round Table to Allendale Lions Club, as sponsors and organisers, must have been a reasonably smooth proposition.
Moreover, given that the minutes of the actual Business Meeting, held the week just after the Fair, indicated enthusiasm for more events in future, although dates were yet to be confirmed, we’ll have to assume that our first Allendale Fair as Lions was a success. It was just that everyone was exhausted, and so nothing much got decided, really, on the 7th of June.
I was delegated to produce a report on the Fair for the Zone magazine, Spotlight, but as per usual, I can neither remember that immortal piece, nor lay my fingers on any such file. However, for the next blog entry, I shall see if Steph Jamieson’s clippings scrapbook holds any gems from the local press!