APPLEBY Horse Fair comes under the watchful eye of a consultant this year who will be assessing what can be done to ensure businesses get a future financial boost.

Attracting up to 30,000 visitors to the town and around 5,000 travellers, gypsies and horse salesmen, the economic return to traders will be examined.

A newly-formed company, New Fair Appleby Limited, has received a grant to commission a consultant to undertake a study during this year's event, which starts tomorrow (Thursday) and runs until June 10.

Keith Morgan, chairman of the Appleby New Fair Joint Committee, which pulls together agencies attempting to co-ordinate the annual event, said the study would look at ways of developing the fair in terms of the benefit to the area.

Mr Morgan said: "In simple terms we are getting 30,000 people coming to Appleby and I think, in general, Appleby would be happy to see 30,000 people leaving with empty pockets but with smiles on their faces."

The decision follows a visit to a highly-successful horse fair in County Galway, Ireland, which has a huge benefit to the local community.

Although an undoubted tourist attraction, the long-standing event has had its critics concerned about the impact of so many people pouring into a small town.

Mr Morgan said public opinion could be divided: "One view is that it is a traditional event that has been going on for several hundreds years and, as such, it is an important cultural event for the town, the gypsies and the travellers. Because of its size, it is an important economic event for the town, although it's possibly not as important these days with increased mobility.

"For others, because of the crowds, the noise, dirt and unpleasant side, it is resented by an awful lot of people living in the area and, quite rightly, because nobody would like the down side."

This year's annual event centres around the Fair Hill area. Although held primarily to trade horses, it now attracts dozens of individual stall-holders, craft sellers and entertainers, with the highlight being the traditional harness racing.

This year joint committee members including the police, Eden District Council's environmental health and the RSPCA will be working together to try to minimise problems.

It has just been confirmed by the Cumbria Highways Authority that Long Marton Road will be closed for reasons of safety to traffic on certain days and at certain times. The closure order will be in force from 9am to 7pm on June 4, 5 and 6 between Salt Tip Corner (A66 Exit Road) and Clickham Farm. When driving through other areas motorists are asked to do so with care as there are many pedestrians and horses that pose a traffic hazard.

Temporary car parks are being set up around the town to take the extra cars. If you need to park in the town motorists are advised to do so early, leaving cars well secured in designated parking areas and without valuable items on show.

Rubbish collection is being arranged by Eden District Council who will be arranging for rubbish skips to be placed at strategic points around the town and Fair Hill. Litter picking and street cleaning will be ongoing.

When the Fair has ended, the town and areas in surrounding villages will be swept clean and rubbish on the public highway removed. People are asked to help by collecting rubbish that has accumulated on private property and leaving it by the roadside for collection. This rubbish may be left in black sacks for this one clean-up day only, thereafter blue sacks must be used.

Public toilets in the town will be cleaned regularly and some portable toilets will be placed at the entrance to Fair Hill.

Cumbria Police have said anyone with concerns or issues they want to raise in respect of the expected influx of large numbers of people to Appleby Horse Fair should contact Cumbria Constabulary's and Eden District Council's Combined Action Teams. The numbers to ring are 07980 747397 or 07967 572172.

Police stressed the numbers were not to be used to report a crime but for environmental or highways matters, or issues that impact on quality of life.