A POPULAR annual event in Yarm this weekend is in jeopardy after Stockton Council denied permission to hold it at the 11th hour due to safety concerns.

Yarm Gala was due to include an Elvis tribute act and live music and a funfair on the High Street’s cobbles but Yarm Town Council confirmed last night that these parts of the event, which is held through Saturday and Sunday, would not be going ahead.

Town councillor Jason Hadlow said they would be postponed until later in the year.

The Lions Charity Fair and the Farmers Market will be going on as usual, and the events on the River Tees, which include a steamboat parade on Sunday, will also go ahead.

The council said it had taken the difficult decision after listening to the concerns of a panel of experts and emergency services specialists on the Independent Safety Advisory Group (ISAG), which checks safety procedures or events in the area.

Cllr Hadlow, who has overseen the event for ten years, said he was “very disappointed” to have to cancel part of the event.

He said: “The reasons the council have given us for their safety concerns are wind management, traffic management and stewarding. Having held over ten previous galas without a problem, Yarm Town Council are sad to announce this postponement but look forward to holding the event later in the year.”

In an email to Mr Hadlow Julie Danks, deputy chief executive at Stockton Council, said: “As you can imagine it has been an extremely serious and difficult decision... to conclude that it cannot allow Yarm Town Council permission for the Gala events to take place on our land this weekend. We cannot possibly permit an event to go ahead on our land that has inadequate safety plans.

"The safety plan is the only thing that matters in this situation and we cannot take a risk with that. No-one could reasonably expect us to ignore the concerns of a panel of experts whose purpose is to advice on the safety of events.

“ISAG and the Council have successfully supported over 50 events in the last year and we have not needed to reach the difficult decision of withholding permission in any other situation.”

  • Yarm Gala is on today and tomorrow. There will be no Saturday night event and tomorrow’s events will be on the river. The fun run, charity fair and farmers’ market will take place as normal.