Remembering some fun times on the Cowley Road

The Cowley Road in east Oxford remains a lively mix of shops, bars, restaurants and night-time venues.

Here we look at some photos from the Oxford Mail archive which were taken in 2009, when traders were calling for the carnival to remain in the street instead of switching to South Park.

Organisers of the carnival that year told traders they needed to put their hands in their pockets if they want the event to return to their street.

Oxford Mail:

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The move followed a cash shortfall brought on by the ending of government funding and difficulties attracting replacement cash at short notice.

Many traders complained they suffered a significant drop in trade when the carnival – the county’s largest community event - transferred to the park.

Then they were told they needed to raise £30,000 - around £250-£300 per business – to help return the event to the street.

Oxford Mail:

One of the organisers, Zaheer Qureshi, said at the time: “Like so many people in East Oxford, we are very keen to have the carnival back in Cowley Road, but at the moment we simply do not have the financial resources to commit to this.

“In the current economic climate, public funding is scarce, but we have to find the money from somewhere.

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“Many Cowley Road traders see carnival as a major event for their businesses, as they can benefit enormously from the crowds it attracts. So we are appealing to those traders to commit to some upfront investment.

Oxford Mail:

“It’s up to the Cowley Road traders - if they really value Cowley Road Carnival, they have to be prepared to share in its cost and commit to making a contribution at this planning stage.”

After taking place in South Park in 2009, the carnival returned to Cowley Road in 2010 when there was also a party in the park.

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