Rivington fair is cancelled as authorities urge visitors to stay safe over Easter

This year the traditional Good Friday Fair at Rivington Pike is cancelled again and visitors to the popular spot are being asked to behave responsibly and continue to follow the latest Covid-19 restrictions.
 
Like last year, Fair organisers are taking the fun online instead to try to reduce the numbers of people congregating at the popular landmark which is situated between Chorley and Bolton.
 
A virtual Rivington Fair will encourage people to share, tweet and post their pictures of a Rivington-inspired home or garden party using the hashtag #RivEGGton. People tagging Rivington Terraced Gardens could also be in with a chance of winning a free family ticket to a future event.
 
Friends of Rivington Terraced Gardens’, Vanessa Ashworth, said the idea of the competition was to try to reduce the numbers of visitors to the area while some lockdown restrictions remain in place.
 
Vanessa explained:  “We want everyone who loves Rivington’s Easter Fair to re-imagine the Pike festivities in their own way. Apart from the need to respect the lockdown restrictions, just about anything else goes; paint a backdrop of the Pike, build a model, have a picnic, roll an egg down your stairs – anything your imagination allows,” she added.
 
Police, councils and landowner, United Utilities, have given their blessing to the competition in a bid to encourage people to stay safe.
 
Chris Matthews, United Utilities’ head of sustainability and community relations, said: “Rivington is a special place, attracting around one million visitors a year. While we want visitors to enjoy the countryside here, we would just ask that you act responsibly, stay safe and put your rubbish in a bin or take it home with you. Our recreation site car park and toilets remain open, following Government guidance, but please continue to follow the current social distancing guidelines to ensure your own safety and the safety of other visitors and our staff.”
 
Nick Collier, Local Policing Inspector for Chorley, said: “The Coronavirus regulations have changed slightly this week, allowing two households or six people to meet outdoors. This is a welcome change for so many people and comes just in time for the long Easter weekend. We are now asking that everybody is mindful of not visiting areas that could be excessively busy. Lancashire has no shortage of beautiful places so please use common sense. This will ensure we stay on the ‘roadmap’ towards normality and will keep you and others safe, as well as protecting the NHS.”
 
Chris Sinnott, Deputy Chief Executive of Chorley Council, said, “The walk up Rivington Pike has been tradition for many years for residents across the Chorley Borough and beyond. The restrictions may have eased slightly this week, but please stay local and avoid areas where there might be crowds, including the Pike. It’s not worth the risk when we’ve all worked so hard at reducing the infection rates. We look forward to taking part in the tradition again in future years when circumstances allow.”
 
To take part in the Rivington Fair competition, upload your entry picture, photo or video to Facebook,  Instagram or twitter, tagging @RivingtonHeritageTrust (Facebook) or @Rivingtontg (Instagram and Twitter) with the hashtag #RivEGGton before the deadline of 0900H on Easter Monday. The winner will be announced via social media on Easter Monday.