Christmas fair organisers cancel reindeer booking

Plans for reindeer to be part of a Christmas fair have been cancelled by organisers amid concerns about possible protests.

A spokesperson for Richmond Business and Tourism Association, which runs Richmond Christmas Fair, said it had been decided not to feature the animals during the event on Sunday 29 November in part due to "protests that were building".

Members of the organising committee said they "respect that people have different views" and acknowledged the "strength of feeling" over the matter.

The North East Animal Rights group was among those to have welcomed the decision, although some on social media criticised the move.

In a statement, members of the committee said they had responded to concerns raised about the presence of the reindeer, which had been booked in advance.

"The decision was made to protect the hard-working volunteers from undue harassment and stress in the lead-up to the event, and also to protect the enjoyment of the day for everyone from protests that were building," they said.

"In the end, we felt the kindest and most sensible course of action was to step back from this particular attraction and focus our energy on delivering a positive and enjoyable event for everyone."

The committee members added that the decision was not a reflection of their views on the company which would have provided the reindeer, which they described as having been "professional, knowledgeable and clearly dedicated to the welfare of their animals".

The announcement received a mixed response on social media, with one user saying it was "sad when a few paranoid people ruin things for everyone", while someone who said they were a parent added: "That's a shame, as my son was looking forward to seeing them."

However, another social media user expressed a different view, saying it was "a good decision".

North East Animal Rights told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We welcome the decision to remove the reindeer and wish the organisers a successful animal-free event."

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