THE clearing up and counting the cost of the storm that wrecked Ludlow Medieval Fayre is underway.

Popular Shropshire spectacle Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre had to be cancelled hours before its live return after gale force winds during Storm Arwen caused heavy damage to the event site.

Thousands of people from the wider West Midlands region and across the UK were due to attend the annual event, which was preparing to resume as a live show in the grounds of Ludlow Castle on Saturday, November 27 and Sunday, November 28 after a two-year absence.

The storm on Friday, November 26, which led to a rare red warning for wind being issued by the Met Office, left such significant damage to the Fayre site that family-owned Shropshire events company Dakin Events had to cancel the event on Saturday morning. The storm caused damage across the UK, with winds reported to reach 98 mph in some parts.

The event had been due to feature more than 100 stallholders and dozens of live entertainers, including theatre performers and musicians. Operating since 1998, Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre draws thousands of people to enjoy live theatre, music, food and stalls in a style which recreates the Middle Ages.

Mother and daughter team Prue and Abi Dakin took the painful decision to cancel the event after surveying the scene on Saturday morning. Abi Dakin said: “It is with a heavy heart that we had to cancel this year’s Ludlow Medieval Christmas Fayre. There had been too much damage on site for us to be able to make the event safe for visitors, exhibitors, performers and staff.

“Our immediate priority was to manage the situation at the Castle and to support our exhibitors who had been affected. There are no words that can truly express how we feel.”

Prue Dakin, who has been organising events at the venue for 30 years, said: “The devastation here is beyond anything we have experienced in all our time running events here at Ludlow Castle. Our wonderful exhibitors have been so badly affected and it is heart-breaking.

“Thank you to all of you who have offered support, it means so much. If supporters can help our exhibitors by shopping online with them, they will be so grateful.

“To all our fabulous, festive visitors, we know how disappointing the cancellation of our beloved fayre is. We will be in touch with you all on Monday, November 29 via email. Thank you for your patience with this.”

After moving online last year due to Covid-19, the family team at Dakin Events had been pleased to see high levels of advance ticket sales, with strong numbers of exhibitors also signing up.

More updates will be sent to ticketholders by email. Information on the exhibitors is available on the Fayre website (www.ludlowmedievalchristmas.co.uk).

Photographs by Ashleigh Cadet