In happier times: Grain Carnival and Summer Fete

by Nicola Jordan

Red tape, rowdy youths and a disagreement over the beer tent – the woman behind Grain Fete and Carnival for the past 17 years has had enough.

Veronica Cordier, born and bred in the village, has quit the committee which has overseen the traditional get-together since 1947.

Ronnie, as she is known to friends, announced her resignation in the parish magazine under the heading 'I Give Up'.

The 59-year-old said: "I am getting far too old to be lugging tables, erecting arenas and taking abuse from people the worse for drink."

The final straw came over a disagreement over the beer tent at July's festivities.

The committee's decision not to have a drinks marquee this year sparked an outcry among some villagers, with one writing "an anonymous nasty letter".

At the last minute, members gave in and rushed around to get the beers in and a liquor licence.

Veronica said: "Despite this, many couldn't be bothered to leave their homes or The Hogarth pub for an hour. Others brought their own drinks."

She said: "We get complaints about noise, drunken, drugged-up youths and bad behaviour in the village during the whole weekend. We take it on the chin, year in, year out."

Veronica looked back fondly on how the carnival and fete was years ago.

She said: "A parade, stalls, arena events and good old-fashioned family fun that finished at 6pm."

She added the programme of yesteryear would include tug-of-war and three-legged races which nowadays "health and safety wouldn't touch with a barge pole".

She said: "Health and safety and risk assessments these days have gone too far. Now if we went ahead with things we did before, we'd find we were not insured.

"At present it is a day of two halves – those who enjoy the village fete and those who arrive after it is over to enjoy the beer tent."

The fete and carnival started after the war to raise money for a memorial in the village.

Grain and nearby Cliffe are among the few local villages to have an annual carnival.