By Harry Mottram: If the legislation promised by the incoming Labour government to ban trail hunting due to well documented abuses happen, then the meeting of the Banwell and Weston Harriers on Boxing Day 2024, could be the last. Perhaps because of that possibility there was a big turn-out of supporters for the Harriers. The Square was packed with people – many from the town and others from further afield. Initially a small group of children and teens arrived by ponies and horses decorated with tinsel adding something of an ‘arrh’ factor. Or as one person mentioned – good PR for the hunt. Around 11 o’clock the main body of the hunt group arrived complete with hounds – and were warmly greeted by the crowds. There were some dissenting voices from the small group of protestors, but it was a peaceful scene in general.
The anti-hunt group had made representations ahead of the day to the Town Trust and The Town Council over the closing of the car park, the lack of a road closure, whether the Town Council approved or disapproved of the hunt, access for passing traffic through the Square along with insurance and health and safety issues. They questioned the legality of the event due to the failure of the Harriers to reply to questions from Somerset Council over those concerns. On the day however traffic was able to pass through the Square – albeit it very slowly due to the numbers of people present – and the car park appeared from where I was standing to be partly open with a small number of vehicles parked there.
For around an hour the meeting took place with some locals enjoying a drink outside the Lamb Inn and Oakhouse with bystanders taking photos of what could be described as a chocolate box scene. It is hard to work out – but a substantial part of the crowd were from outside the town – with cars and vans parked all along Cheddar Road and the surrounding streets – sometimes on double yellow lines it should be mentioned.
As the Banwell and Weston Harriers moved off down Moorland Street there was applause and cheers as well as shouts of ‘shame on you’ – not just from the demonstrators but from some members of the public as well. The arguments will no doubt continue both for and against – with many waiting for a decision from the Government on the proposed ban.
Fox hunting has been a fixture in most parts of the country since at least the 16th century – although its hey day was in the 19th century when country pubs would often have prints of hunts on their walls marking a nod to it as an enjoyable rural activity. Opposed on cruelty grounds since Victorian times the actual hunting of foxes by a pack of hounds was banned in 2007 under the hunting act by David Cameron’s Government although trail hunting was allowed along with the use of two dogs to flush out a fox from where it is hiding. Both practices have been abused by hunts with prosecutions taking place including the Banwell and Weston Harriers – hence the plans to ban it.
For many people the meeting of the Banwell and Weston Harriers in Axbridge Square is about the spectacle with the arguments about blood sports left to one side. And certainly the Square is a fitting place for it to meet and a chance for people to see the hounds and riders close up – perfect photo opportunities – which is why the Harriers meet there. Having said that I then went for a cycle ride around Cheddar Reservoir where I estimated far more people were present as they took their Boxing Day family walks. The meeting of the Harriers has certainly exercised many who have made plain their views online at the Axbridge Community Face Book site. Now it is up to the Government to decide whether to proceed with outlawing trail hunting.
Axbridge Review is edited by Harry Mottram and is published for the interest of himself and fellow residents.
Harry is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc
Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk
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