Ticket prices for cheese rolling

Ticket prices have been announced for the return of Gloucestershire's historic cheese rolling.

5,000 tickets per day will be sold to spectators and rollers who want to climb up Cooper's Hill l to watch the dare-devil competitors chase the famous Double Gloucester cheese.

Adults aged 14 years and over will pay £20 per ticket per day, children aged five to 13 years £15 per ticket, whilst children four years and under will go free.

An enclosed area at the bottom of the hill remains free-of-charge to the general public and the races - five downhill and four uphill each day - will be shown on large screens.

The tickets will be sold on line on the cheese rolling website www.cheeserollingfestival.co.uk shortly. Details will be announced in due course.
 
The cheese rolling, previously held on Spring Bank Holiday Monday, was the victim of its own popularity in 2009 when 15,000 spectators turned up to a venue equipped to hold only 5,000, resulting in the cancellation of the 2010 event due to fears over traffic congestion and crowd safety.

Richard Jefferies, Press Officer, Cheese Rolling Committee said: "We were told by the local authorities that the event must change if it is to continue.

"This meant introducing a comprehensive traffic and crowd control plan, limiting the amount of people on the hill. 

"Once you try and restrict the spectators, you have to introduce perimeter fencing and security arrangements which are unfortunately all very expensive and we have to find a way to pay for it.

"The committee are all local people themselves and are just passionate about keeping the age-old tradition alive.

"We're aware that introducing a spectator's fee to those who wish to watch hillside is a sensitive subject and is going to cause upset amongst some local people.

"With this is mind, we have carefully worked out the lowest cost possible required to help cover things like the perimeter fencing, security, toilets and much more.

"We feel that £20 is not an exorbitant fee for a wholesome day's entertainment. When you look at it, a day out shopping in Bristol would cost a lot more when you take petrol and parking fees into the equation.

"This is a not-for-profit event and any additional money - although this is predicted to be marginal - will either be put into running the 2012 event or ploughed back into the local community.

"It's important to stress once again that without imposing the extra health and safety measures, which all come at a considerable cost, the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Event will not go ahead and eventually the tradition would die."

"We would discourage anyone thinking of holding their own event, particularly due to the legal and insurance implications and ask that instead they put their energy into helping make this year's event a success.

"We can then review the festival and work together to make following years even more triumphant."