Saltaire 1940s event organiser criticises council for cancellation

The organiser of a 1940s-themed weekend which had to be cancelled less than a day before it was due to take place has criticised the city council for not allowing it to go ahead.

Saltaire’s 1940s weekend was due to take place at Roberts Park on the weekend of June 29-30, but Bradford City Council said on Friday (June 28) that it could not go ahead “for the safety of all”.

A council spokesman said the decision was taken following advice from its Security Advisory Group (SAG).

On social media, Marie McCahery, the event’s organizer, said: “To cancel late Friday morning is completely unacceptable.”

The event included a 1940s reenactment, as well as an exhibition of small military vehicles and classic cars.

A dance tent was to be one of the highlights of the weekend, featuring “vintage police officers, buggies and poodles,” according to the event’s Facebook page.

A Bradford Council spokesman said it had been decided not to allow the event to take place in the park run by the local authority following “the latest advice from SAG”.

The SAG is made up of representatives from the council, police, fire and ambulance services.

The spokesperson said SAG “has been in contact with the event organiser for some time” and that the decision not to give the green light was “very rare and therefore the decision is not taken lightly”.

“All event organisers should ensure that comprehensive and detailed plans are in place well in advance of their event, so that these can be assessed by the SAG,” they added.

“We are aware of the disappointment that the organizer and those who had planned to participate in the event must feel, but these measures are there for the safety of all.”

The spokesperson said such events required full risk assessments, proof of adequate public liability insurance and medical assessment forms from Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Detailed site plans, command structures, and event management plans, including crowd management and event security plans, were also required.

In a Facebook post, Ms McCahery said she was “going to fight to find out exactly what happened and why”.

“If they had any concerns about safety, they could have contacted me earlier in the week so I could have amended the event management plan to their satisfaction, but they did nothing and waited until well after the last minute to cancel the event,” she said.

“There were less than 24 hours left before the event was set to open to the public, but vendors and others had already left. The marquee and security were almost at the park. Many people from far away were already on their way and it was too late to cancel hotel reservations,” McCahery added.

The organiser also highlighted her concerns about the implications for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture events taking place next year.

“Who would travel far to attend an event in Bradford if it had to be cancelled at such short notice? This does not bode well for events planned for Bradford 2025,” she wrote.

Despite the main event being cancelled, some people dressed up in 1940s-inspired clothing and danced at Saltaire’s Victoria Hall.

The decision to cancel the Saltaire event follows the postponement of Haworth’s 1940s weekend until 2025 due to issues with road closures and traffic management.