AS good as previous events held in South Park were, Sunday’s Cowley Road Carnival was proof that being back on the street is the real deal.

Estimates range that between 25,000 and 35,000 people attended and you can just look at our pictures to appreciate what an iconic event this is.

We don’t wish to do down the Carnival in the Park route.

It was a good event but was very much a substitute when logistics and/or finances proved too much of an obstacle in recent years to hold it in Cowley Road.

But Sunday’s turn-out was an emphatic stamp of approval for a carnival.

Some may have been a bit worried the crowds would not turn out, given the on-and-off nature of the carnival in recent years.

Well, we know the answer to that question.

And so it is incumbent on everyone to do what they can to ensure the future of a carnival in Cowley Road.

We hesitate to hector the independent traders about contributing to the costs. There is the argument that they benefit financially but, conversely, it may be a little severe to demand almost mandatory payments unless they are given a say in the running of the event.

A lot has been said about national chain stores moving into Cowley Road. Perhaps if they truly wanted to be accepted as part of the fabric of this iconic area then they could make the first financial donations?