ST GILES' FAIR: What you need to know about this year's fair

As the school summer holidays finally come to an end, St Giles’ Fair is offering youngsters one last hurrah before they return to classes.

Most schools start back on Tuesday, giving pupils the chance to enjoy the rides at the historic fair today.

Showmen put the hi-tech rides in place yesterday evening, ready for the start of the fair at 11am.

After the introduction of a prosecco bar at last year's fair, 2018 features a 'double decker bus bar' alongside the usual rides and attractions.

Thousands of fair goers are expected to take in the atmosphere, stalls and rides, over the next two days.

Mary Clarkson, board member for culture and city centre, said: “St Giles’ Fair is one of the great Oxford traditions.

“It has always moved with the times and I am sure that as usual it will provide a fun occasion for all the family.”

TIMINGS

The fair will be open both today  and tomorrow from 11am through to 11pm.

The blessing of the fair - annual occasion - took place yesterday, with the Lord Mayor and church leaders readying the fair for today's official opening.

ROAD CLOSURES 

Road closures in the area of St Giles' are now in place until 8.30am on Wednesday September 5, 2018.

The usual diversion routes will be signposted.

While the fair is operating St Giles and surrounding streets will be closed to traffic, which will be diverted.

The through-route for traffic is via Worcester Street, Walton Street, Kingston Road, St Margaret’s Road and vice versa.

Full list of closures and changes

• Banbury Road A4165, closed from its junction with Parks Road to its junction with Keble Road - Except east side of Banbury Road parking will be allowed for vehicles associated with St. Giles Fair exhibiting a St. Giles Fair parking permit;
• Beaumont Street, from St. John Street to St. Giles - except south side, parking permitted for taxis from a point 5 metres from Gloucester Street for 10 metres. Pay & Display parking suspended; Disabled Persons parking suspended and relocated to Keble Road; Marked goods vehicle loading bays will also be suspended.
• Bevington Road, closed at its junction with Woodstock Road;
• Keble Road, closed except parking permitted north side for disabled persons vehicles, and on the south side for fairground vehicles exhibiting a permit; also Coach parking relocated from St Giles. Residents permit parking suspended;
• St. Giles', Closed for its entire length. Pay and Display parking, and Disabled Persons parking suspended; Taxi rank suspended
• Magdalen Street East and West closed;
• Pusey Street, Closed from its junction with St Giles to its junction with St John Street - access only frontages. Disabled Persons Parking is relocated to Keble Road;
• Woodstock Road A4144, Closed from St. Giles to Observatory Street - Except parking permitted east side between Observatory Street and The Royal Oak Public House for fairground vehicles exhibiting a permit;
• Little Clarendon Street closed at its junction with Woodstock Road. Access only to premises will be from Walton Street, and this road to be used as access/staging area for emergency services. The 30 min permitted parking and the marked goods vehicle loading bays will be suspended; the one-way restriction will also be suspended.
• Parks Road, traffic emerging into Banbury Road will only be able to turn right (northwards) away from the City.
• Broad Street, Bus and taxi services will be transferred from St Giles which will involve lowering of the No Through Road bollards. The goods vehicle loading bays and Street Traders bay on the south side will also be suspended

BUSES

Buses travelling into and out of Oxford from the north will also be diverted, and bus stops will be moved.

Stagecoach

• Buses S4, S5, 7a and all 2 services will divert via Parks Road into Broad Street, where they will drop off outside the tourist information and will pick up outside Trinity College returning to Banbury Road via Parks Road.
• The 7 service will also use Parks Road and Broad Street and drop off at A1 bus stop on George Street. It will pick up at its usual bus stops in George Street and then outside Trinity College returning to Banbury Road via Parks Road.
• The 14 /14A service will also use Parks Road and Broad Street to drop off as usual in George Street. Journeys from the Rail Station will pick up outside Trinity College instead of Magdalen Street.
• S2 and S3 services will divert from Woodstock Road, via St Margaret’s Road, to Banbury Road and will also use Parks Road and Broad Street to George Street.

Oxford Bus Company

• City2 (towards Oxford) will provide usual service until Banbury Road/Parks Road junction and will then divert left into Parks Road and right into Broad Street.
• City2 (towards Kidlington) From Broad Street please embark at the temporary stop outside Blackwell’s book shop.  The bus will turn left into Parks Road and journey right to Banbury Road 
• City6 / P&R300 (towards Oxford) will provide usual service until junction of Woodstock Road/St Margaret’s Road. From Woodstock Road, the bus will turn left into St Margaret’s Road then right onto Banbury Road. The P&R300 will drop-off at George Street. 
• City6 / P&R300 (towards Wolvercote/Pear Tree) From Broad Street please embark at the temporary stop outside Blackwell’s book shop.  The bus will turn left into Parks Road and right onto Banbury Road, then left into Canterbury Road and right onto Woodstock Road where normal service towards Wolvercote will be resumed. P&R300 from George Street will pick up at Broad Street, by Blackwell’s book shop. 
• P&R500 (towards Rail Station) will provide usual service until Banbury Road/Parks Road junction. From Banbury Road the bus will turn left into Parks Road and then right into Broad Street, for your George Street drop-off point and the Oxford Rail Station. 
• P&R500 (towards Oxford Parkway/Woodstock) will provide usual service until the top of George Street, then from Broad Street please embark at the temporary stop outside Blackwell’s book shop.  The bus will then turn left into Parks Road and right onto Banbury Road where normal service will be resumed. 

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? 

The fair is one of the oldest in England, with a pedigree that dates back to 1625 when it was a parish festival to celebrate the feast of the patron saint, St Giles.

By the 18th century it had become a toy fair and eventually evolved in the late part of the 1800s to be more like the event taking place now, with a mixture of mechanical rides and side stalls.

Many families linked to the Showmen’s Guild return year after year to set up their rides.

They include the Noyce family who have been regulars for decades.

Joe Noyce said: “My grandfather the late James Noyce Snr first attended St Giles’ Fair in 1956 with our Golden Gallopers, building on sites 136-138.

“We moved onto site 140a-140b in the early 1960s which was previously occupied by Billy Nichols.

“My grandfather instigated a church service and fair blessing with the local Vicar a tradition that still continues to this day.

“The Gallopers attended up until 2010 when they were replaced with our Froggit jump & smile ride and in the past few years we brought along our Sky Flyer chair’o’planes, which spin thrill-seekers 100ft in the air, giving fantastic views of your magnificent city.”

There should be something for everyone, with fair goers looking forward to all the traditional funfair rides and amusements like dodgems, a coconut shy, helter skelter and a carousel, combined with some exciting up-to-date, white-knuckle rides.

Available for the first time at the fair will be the new Double Decker Bus Bar.

All the usual tasty treats will be on offer including burgers, hot dogs, and candyfloss and toffee apples.