Hunt quits village over health and safety fears
THE sight of horses and hounds gathering in Penshurst for the traditional Boxing Day hunt will be a thing of the past because of fears over safety.
The Old Surrey, Burstow and West Kent Hunt has attracted large crowds during the 10 years it has met in the centre of the village.
-
BULGING CROWD: A small portion of the massive crowd which turned out on Boxing Day to watch the Surrey and Old Burstow Hunt as it gathered outside the Leicester Arms in Penshurst AH2612062/1
BULGING CROWD: A small portion of the massive crowd which turned out on Boxing Day to watch the Surrey and Old Burstow Hunt as it gathered outside the Leicester Arms in Penshurst AH2612062/1
-
ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN: The big crowd which turned out on Boxing Day to watch the Surrey and Old Burstow Hunt as it gathered outside the Leicester Arms in Penshurst AH2612062/2
But it has been forced to relocate to Chiddingstone Castle because organisers warned the large numbers of people it attracted created a "health and safety issue".
Jeff Pegrum, senior master of the hunt, said the mass of people, cars and animals created a bottleneck at the narrow junction of the High Street and Penshurst Road.
Last year 2,000 spectators attended to watch 100 horses and a pack of foxhounds set out from the village.
"We have been a victim of our own success," said Mr Pegrum.
"There are so many people at the road junction it's becoming a bit of a health and safety issue.
"It's an accident waiting to happen."
Mr Pegrum said Chiddingstone Castle was the ideal venue for the hunt to meet with its large car park.
"The opportunity came up to use Chiddingstone Castle and we thought we couldn't miss it," he added.
Penshurst parish souncillor Mike Gilbert was one of several villagers who supported the decision to relocate the hunt.
Cllr Gilbert said: "I know there's been a little bit of unrest about the amount of followers of the hunt. We've had discussions with the organisers of the hunt and the police about how to make it better. The organisers have decided to move it and there's certainly no ill feeling."
New Road resident Dianne Broad said: "I think it's a good idea to move it out of Penshurst.
"It does create a bit of a jam and it's so well-attended that the traffic situation becomes very difficult."
Before the fox-hunting ban was introduced in 2005, the Boxing Day event regularly attracted anti-hunt protesters.
4 Comments
by anon, NA
Saturday, January 09 2010, 9:40PM
“Funny how they (the hunt and the news reporter)didnt actually ask any one who lived in the high street in penshurst how they felt, i know that lots of residents including me were very upset and dissapointed that they were not even contactecd about moving the hunt and sad that this decision had been made as penshurst is a traditional village and had enjoyed holding the meet hear for meny years.
It just goes to show that penshurst supported the hunt and then they just upt and left without even a bye bye or thankyou, well good luck at the castle i am sure that it will go well for them but will not have the same magick about it”
by foxy hound, tally ho
Friday, November 20 2009, 2:01PM
“i am gutted about this would love to have running through the countryside chasing and killing vermin on boxing day.”
by Slick, Royal Tunbridge Wells
Tuesday, November 17 2009, 9:43AM
“The word 'NIMBY' comes to mind!”
by CHETTLE, CHIDDINGSTONE
Monday, November 16 2009, 3:09PM
“Who thought it would be a good idea to have the Boxing day hunt at Chiddingstone castle,Penshurst cannot cope with the volume of carsand people,Chiddingstone is half the size of Penshurst and the roads even narrower.Where are all the cars going to park?not all over the verges blocking us all in i hope.There is no way Chiddingstone Castle carpark can accomondate 2000 people. If its a health and safety problem in Penshurst it is for Chiddingstone .”