'Help us out,' says Hull Fair's clean-up team

While thousands of people enjoy the rides, games and food at Hull Fair, a team of council workers begins cleaning up long before most visitors are awake.

From 05:00 BST each morning, dozens of street cleansing and waste management staff arrive on site to clear litter, empty bins and prepare the fairground and surrounding streets for another busy day.

Last year, more than 60 tonnes of rubbish was removed during the week-long event.

The fair, which is more than 700 years old, is one of the largest travelling fairs in Europe.

Before the first rides open, and long before the smell of doughnuts and chip spice fills the air, Hull's cleaning teams are already hard at work across the fairground.

Councillor Charles Quinn, Hull City Council's portfolio holder for the environment, said: "Whilst people are asleep there's dozens of Hull City Council street cleansing operatives out keeping the whole fair tidy, cleaning it up after the night before and making sure it looks clean when people arrive during the day."

The operation begins with recycling teams, who collect cardboard and other reusable materials before the wider clear-up begins.

Quinn said months of planning went into the annual operation.

"It's a well-oiled machine," he said.

"The teams go over and above and do a fantastic job. When people wake up in the morning and come and visit the site during the day, it looks absolutely spotless."

Among those helping oversee the rather smelly work is cleansing supervisor Stephen Antcliffe, who describes Walton Street - the fair's main pathway - as the biggest challenge.

The teams are also responsible for clearing litter from roads leading to the fairground and nearby residential streets.

The amount of rubbish collected varies throughout the week, but weekends are by far the busiest period.

"Every day is different," Antcliffe said.

"Monday to Thursday doesn't create as much waste. Weekends are horrendous, especially the last day when the fair finishes and they start de-rigging."

But he says the challenge is one the workers still relish.

"A lot of these lads have been here 30 years plus."

Waste operative Gary Welsh has a simple message for visitors hoping to make the most of a night at the fair.

"I would like everybody to keep their chip butties and everything and place them in the bins please," he said.

"There is a lot of bins in the Hull Fair vicinity and I can't see no reason why they have to just chuck it on the ground and walk away.

"Please, help us out."

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