THE family who bring the annual fair to Leominster urged visitors to complete an ongoing consultation regarding the future of the historic event.

Herefordshire Council is running the May Fairs consultation until May 25, as the contracts for both Hereford and Leominster fair are due to be renewed in 2019.

The council says it would like to hear the views of people who live and work in Hereford and Leominster, with feedback to be considered during the application and renewal process.

And at the opening of this year's Leominster fair, the Morris family, who bring their rides to the town's streets, urged residents to complete the consultation to keep the event in the streets of Leominster.

They said: "There is an online ballot where you can go and give your views, fill out the questionnaire and hopefully support the fair and let us stay here and renew the contract."

The fair has been visiting Leominster in some form for hundreds of years and is today made up of rides, games and food stalls.

The Mayor of Leominster formally opened this year's event and town councillors were some of the first to take a ride.

Meanwhile, up to 200 showmen and women from around the country will make their way to Hereford to prepare for the grand opening on Tuesday.

Thousands flock into the city centre every year – some from other counties – for the three-day festival.   

Abie Danter, Chairman of the South Wales and Northern Ireland Section of The Showmen’s Guild, said: “A warm welcome awaits you when you join us at this historic and impressive traditional fun fair.

"Showmen from all over the UK will provide excitement, fun and laughter from riding the heart-stopping white knuckle rides to bumper to bumper fun and not forgetting the thrills of the children and traditional rides.

"From rides to stalls we have it all, including some new attractions for 2017.”

The Opening Ceremony is at 3.45pm on Tuesday at Cathedral Close when the Mayor will make a ceremonial offering of 12-and-a-half bushels of wheat to the Bishop of Hereford as payment for allowing the fair to proceed.

This year’s ceremony will once again see the ringing of the fair bells.

Commissioned by the national president and local chairman of the Showmen’s Guild, the bells will now be rung to signify the opening of each guild fair in the division.

To complete the consultation visit herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200137/things_to_do/738/may_fairs_consultation