Snobbery or preservation? Funfair proposal leaves Tettenhall villagers divided

Express & Star readers have been commenting on the subject in their droves online, with one side firmly against the plan and the other accusing the people of Tettenhall of snobbery.

The fair, featuring rides, bumper cars and hot dog stands, will run from July to September and will bring in much-needed money in for cash-strapped Wolverhampton City Council.

Tettenhall residents are so angry about the fair that a petition has been set up with more than 1,000 names on it already and plans also emerged today for Tettenhall to break away from the city council and create its own town council.

Dawn Heaney, from Wolverhampton, commented: "So they're going to ruin our green and leave all their rubbish not to mention all the noise? Which idiots allowed this to happen?"

Kenneth Moreton said the area had already changed an awful lot for the worse since he was a roadsweeper in Tettenhall in the 1960s.

He said: "This wouldn't have happened under the old Tettenhall Council - it took pride in keeping Tettenhall spick and span.

"Who have thought it back then? Today, double yellow lines, traffic wardens, blue buses.

"Who remembers the trollies tuning by the old fire station? You don't know what you've missed till it's gone."

Susan Steatham added: "I don't live in Wolverhampton but support the residents of Tettenhall on this issue.

"The green is a lovely place, it certainly doesn't deserve being ruined by a fairground."

And Kathryn Ball said: "Terrible idea, 10 weeks of traffic chaos, litter, anti-social noise and behaviour, insufficient parking and general misery.

"Beef burger vans, ice cream van engines running all day. And what about the wildlife? The redwings, the siskin, the dragonfly?"

Upper Green regularly sees up to 3,000 visitors a day in the summer, with people attracted to its paddling pool and large grass area.

Wolverhampton City Council has defended the move with leisure chief Councillor Elias Mattu saying the fair was a 'wonderful idea'.

Some people felt that Tettenhall was appropriate for a fair and pointed out that other areas across the city have hosted fairs for years.

June Smith said: "West Park has hosted many fairs in Wolverhampton and is on of the most natural Victorian parks in the country.

"I suppose it is not in Tettenhall therefore okay to churn up those beautiful flower beds and to put op with the smell of hot dogs stands.

"We all pay our poll tax so let's share."

Deb Walters added: "We have to put up with the fair at the end of our back gardens when it comes to Wednesfield park, no parking at all for Wednesfield park, just local roads.

"I think there's an element of snobbery coming in here - it's okay for them but not okay for us?"