Roads closed as May Fair returns to Hereford city centre

The three-day event takes place in the city centre from tomorrow (Tuesday) until Thursday (May 4) with a ceremonial proclamation of the historic St Ethelbert's May Fair officially opening it.

This is when the Mayor of Hereford offers 12-and-a-half bushels of wheat to the Lord Bishop as patment for allowing the fair to proceed.

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The fair will then open at 3.45pm tomorrow (Tuesday) with it closing at 11pm on all three days. From Wednesday and Thursday, the fair opens at midday. 

When the fair is in the city, a number of roads will be close.

Roads closed

• Broad Street from its junction with West Street/East Street to its junction with King Street
• King Street from its junction with Broad Street to its junction with St. Nicholas Street/Bridge Street
• Bridge Street from its junction with St. Nicholas Street to its junction with Gwynne Street
• St Owen Street From its junction with St. Peters Square to its junction with St. Ethelbert Street
• St. Nicholas Street from its junction with Bridge Street/King Street to its junction with Berrington Street
• High Town
• Commercial Street
• St Peters Street

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Some parking, loading and unloading areas will also be closed in Union Street and in the streets mentioned above.

In addition, Widemarsh Street (from its junction with Blueschool/Newmarket Street) and High Street will be closed to traffic from 4.30 pm to 11pm to make High Street a safer pedestrian area for fair goers.

All of the streets will be accessible to emergency vehicles.

Advance warning signs will be on all routes leading towards the city centre advising of the closures.

Diversion routes will not be signposted as, with so many possible permutations, such signing would be too confusing for motorists, especially visitors to the city.

All of the other city centre roads will operate as near normal as possible.

Meanwhile, the southern end of Berrington Street will be two-way between St Nicholas Street and Little Berrington Street and motorists are asked to take extra care if using this route. All of Gwynne Street will be two-way.

There may also be additional congestion for traffic using St Martins Street for access onto the A49 during the period of the fair.