The most unsurprising revelation ever. Funfairs are a rare anachronism, that’s somehow hung on for the past 30-40 years, when most people assumed they no longer existed. Imagine most of the kit and all of the practices date from those times too - they were unregulated and dodgy back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, can’t see why anything would have changed.
[News] Do you go the funfair?
- Thread starter papachris
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Official Old Man
Uckfield Seagull
Used to get excited when the Hassocks 6-a-side tournament came around, generally 1 or 2 weeks before the season started.
Back in the late 60's early 70's and still at school it meant Harris's fair was coming to town. Bumper Cars, Galloping Horses Carousel and my favorite, the Waltzer.
Oh we were so 'hard' standing on the waltzer with our hands in the air, and they always played a Rolling Stones track that will come back to me later. Whenever I hear it it takes me back to those days.
ps met a girl there as well.
Back in the late 60's early 70's and still at school it meant Harris's fair was coming to town. Bumper Cars, Galloping Horses Carousel and my favorite, the Waltzer.
Oh we were so 'hard' standing on the waltzer with our hands in the air, and they always played a Rolling Stones track that will come back to me later. Whenever I hear it it takes me back to those days.
ps met a girl there as well.
I know exactly what you mean. Great days.
I understand the concerns, and no, obviously I wouldn't want to see my grandson (or anybody else) maimed or killed, but I do think it would be a very sad if the days of the travelling funfair were ended by Health and Safety and the "If it saves one life ..." mentality.
- Aug 7, 2003
- 8,477
Used to go to the one at the Level when I was a kid. Some of the rides were a tad rickety, especially the big wheel which didn’t benefit from the twats rocking the cars. Never did pluck up the courage to go in the spinning drum thing where you got stuck to the wall when the floor dropped.
Multi-million dollar coasters - yes please, all day long. Rip-off funfairs can **** right off though. Always full of scrotes (ride operators and their feral kids, and a % of the punters), rides are utter crap and usually in a muddy field.
Man of Harveys
Well-known member
Apart from that, how did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln?
pasty
A different kind of pasty
Used to love the annual Dolphin Fair in Victoria Park in Haywards Heath as a kid in the 70’s. The Waltzer was always my favourite. No idea if Dolphin Fair is still a thing though?
Well being assassinated whilst attending the theatre is a bit of an extreme example, but yeah, going to the theatre can be dangerous. Ban it!
Yeah this is where I am. Absolutely love the rides at big theme parks. My daughter is an adrenaline junky and I was delighted when she progressed from the mini coaster to the Dragon at Lego Land. Now she goes to Thorpe Park once a year with her mates and wouldn't be seen dead riding with Dad but I still managed to get a coaster fix in a couple of years ago in Vegas on the New York New York Big Apple.
I, however, don't trust fairs for all the reasons you state but, sadly, she does. She was at the fair at Victoria Park this weekend with her mates and apparently went on all the ones that make normal people sick.
- Jul 17, 2003
- 21,166
Fairgrounds you say, run by chavs for chavs i’d say, sorry if i’ve offended anyone
- Nov 15, 2006
- 7,235
Random fact, as a 16 year old I went hitchhiking in France with a mate and got a pull from a pretty young French girl who was impressed with my dodgem driving at a fun fair near our Le Touquet camp site, which involved avoiding being smashed into by other dodgems. Nothing went any further but it was fun evening!Took my grandson to one in Windsor last year. Only went on the dodgems. Three nights in a row. Three times each night. By the end we were both on freebies to bring the punters in
- Jul 10, 2003
- 29,501
I used to love fairs from when I was a kid all through my teenage years. At first it used to be Southwick Green and Buckingham Park and then the Level in town as I got older. The excitement of walking through a pitch black Buckingham park towards the back where the lights, the shouting and screaming and distorted music were, was one of the highlights of my childhood. The Whist, Rotor, Octopus, Bumper cars I loved them all and me and my mates would spend every evening there when they were in town, even if we had no money for rides. IIRC when I was young they still had Boxing booths where you could win money if you beat one of the regular 'boxers'.
Took my kids to Chessington, Alton Park, Thorpe Park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
etc, but they were never really hooked and could take it or leave it.
Took my kids to Chessington, Alton Park, Thorpe Park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
etc, but they were never really hooked and could take it or leave it.
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Comrade Sam
Comrade Sam
Classic oxymoron - they're not fun and they're not fair.
Official Old Man
Uckfield Seagull
You'll never catch me on one of those big things, BUT, somehow the wife got me on the NewYork NewYork coaster not once but twice. It was about 15+ years ago and we'd been into what was the sports brew pub next door for a good while first. The latter has now gone sadly.
MTSeagulls
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2019
- 1,126
Interesting fact about funfairs.
The man who invented the ferris wheel never met the man who invented the carousel.
They travelled in different circles.
The man who invented the ferris wheel never met the man who invented the carousel.
They travelled in different circles.
- Oct 17, 2008
- 17,572
This seems extremely likely, as the first mechanical carousel was in operation by 1803. The Ferris Wheel (then known as the Chicago Wheel) was invented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. and didn’t debut until 1893. While the originator of the mechanical carousel (ignoring, of course, the French equestrian caroussel displays in the mid 17th century) isn’t known, it is extremely unlikely they were even alive at the same time as Mr. Ferris Jr.
So your point is accurate.
It's so funny to hear/read the term "funfair" whenever the "Show" is in town, and I ask are you guys going to the Fair I either get puzzled looks or rolled eyes. Took me a while to call the Offie the Bottle shop, but I have steadfastly stuck to YogHurt rather than the insipid yoogurt.
To answer the actual question it's been decades. Looks like the same situation over here https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09...victim-speaks-out-on-lack-of-reform/102789390
To answer the actual question it's been decades. Looks like the same situation over here https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09...victim-speaks-out-on-lack-of-reform/102789390
Absolutely no offence taken!
I also like Wetherspoons, McDonalds, and my ideal drink with any meal (including breakfast) is a cold can of Kronenbourg.
I used to go to them in Newhaven as a child. For some reason I remember the prizes more than the rides, those mirror picture things and cans of coke with solid brown foam made to look like the contents had overflowed.