Oakham Rutland 'religious' festival 'disturbance' as town store staff complain of abuse and looting by those attending the event at The Rutland County Showground.
Police have been called to the site to investigate complaints over the alleged behaviours of its participants and others.
Hundreds of complaints and related comments have been posted on social media concerning the event.
Last Night, Rutland Showground issued an apology.
Message to members of Rutland Agricultural Society, issued at 20.00 on 19 June 2021, by CEO, Kevin Tighe
“We are currently hosting a religious festival on our site which we are aware is causing disturbance to our neighbours. We wholeheartedly apologise for this. We agreed to the booking after assessing the organisers risk assessment and with the belief that this was an event primarily about Christian worship. However there is a minority of people who are disrupting the event and causing some significant problems in and around the showground. We have been working with the organisers to stabilise this situation. Our priority is to help maintain public order and minimise disruption and allow the event to refocus on its Christian worship as quickly and quietly as possible. We have been in contact with the police who have been onsite today.“
Paul Kitson
Company Secretary
Shortly afterward the show ground published the following on it Facebook page
Rutland Showground issued an apology on its Facebook Page.
The apology said: "We are currently hosting a religious festival on our site which we are aware is causing disturbance to our neighbours. We wholeheartedly apologise for this.
"We agreed to the booking after assessing the organisers risk assessment and with the belief that this was an event primarily about Christian worship.
"However there is a minority of people who are disrupting the event and causing significant problems in around the showground.
"Our priority is to help maintain public order and minimise disruption and allow the event to refocus on its Christian worship as quickly and quietly as possible. "We have been in contact with the police who have been onsite today."
A whole range of behaviour is cited in response to the post.
This includes many forms of anti social behaviour, some comments from local shop workers who have been abused.
Staff at Lidl this morning have had to ask people to leave the store after entering with no masks and being abusive to colleagues.
The show ground have apologised for local disruption. Local shops closed and bars have closed and at one point this included McDonalds, after a lot of those attending decided they were not required to pay for anything. The bypass was used as a race track last night. This morning it is very slippery covered in mud. It is reported local residents called Leicestershire police many times and none attended. Some residents contacted the newly elected police and crime commissioner and the Chief Constable Simon Cole responded via twitter. Maybe now the police and crime commissioner will take his role seriously and sort out the lack of policing here in Rutland instead of his daft idea supported by our MP Alecia Kearns to rename Leicestershire Police once again. The force a few years ago wasted money rebranding itself from Leicestershire Constabulary now PCC wants to call the three combined forces Leicestershire and Rutland. Forgetting Leicester?
The trustees of the Showground should be sacked. They wont let us have a scaled down county show this year, cancelling at very short notice due to covid. No fears appear to have been applied, to the consideration of this event or other events they are hosting. People are coming and going from the field accessed from gates 2 and 3. Many are visiting nearby businesses and many if not all appear to be exempt from wearing face masks. Local residents have also complained of intimidation. I passed gates 2 and 3 one of the stewards at gate 2 wished me a good morning as I approached gate 3 a car pulled out at speed and some one shouted foul abuse from inside the car. Gate 1 remains locked a number of littering young boys kicked it and climbed it were very quickly chased out by the stewards.
Earlier this morning, Rutland MP Alicia Kearns said on twitter: "I’m aware of concerns around reckless driving and incidents in Oakham today related to a large event at Rutland Showground. "I am liaising with the Council and the Police regarding compliance to COVID regulations and monitoring concerns."
Leicestershire Police chief constable Simon Cole responding to Mrs Kearns, commented today: "@LP_Rutland have been working hard on this with the event organisers, venue and council."
@LeicsPCC Rupert Matthews PCC - “I have received several complaints about the event at Rutland showground, and I am distressed to hear how little regard has been given to the residents of Oakham. There’s been intimidation and dangerous driving, not to mention breaking the covid rules.”1/2
Replying to
@LeicsPCC
“I have contacted the Chief Constable demanding an update now and a meeting tomorrow. Of course, I fully support the work that Rutland Police do in the action they are taking and urge residents with concerns to please dial 101.” 2/2
Oakham Bypass outside the Rutland County Showground is very slippery with mud from showground fields. The area is now being patrolled by Leicestershire Police.
Leicestershire Police @leicspolice
Leicestershire Police Tweeted this afternoon Sunday 20th June 12.50pm
We are aware of reports of anti-social behaviour linked to a religious event at Rutland Showground. Extra patrols and units are in the area and we will ensure event is covid safe. We are working with the organisers.
To report visit https://www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/
