SHOPKEEPERS in Oxford’s Cowley Road have been given a provisional go-ahead for an alternative summer celebration to temper the loss of the area’s carnival.

The Cowley Road Carnival, which last year attracted 35,000 revellers, was due to take place on Sunday, July 5, but was cancelled due to costs and a change of organisers.

A smaller scale Carnival in the Park event was planned instead.

However, a group of traders and business has now been given permission to close six roads in East Oxford on the day to hold a mini carnival at the west end of Cowley Road, which will raise money for the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS).

The event, organised by 35 businesses in the Plain Traders’ Association, will include music areas featuring acoustic, blues and jazz as well as circus skills and other workshops and the sixth annual teddy bears picnic in Dawson Street.

The roads which will be closed for 30m are Dawson Street, Circus Street, Temple Street, Alma Place, Stockmore Street and Tyndale Road.

However, Cowley Road itself will not be closed, although some bars and shops will put up stalls and barbecues where they will not obstruct pedestrians.

Erica Steinhauer, who is spearheading the so-called Cowley Road Carnival Fringe, said: “We pulled back from closing Cowley Road this year, but we’re still keeping the road warm for next year.

“There’s massive disappointment that there’s no Cowley Road carnival this year. The opportunity and the challenge of this disappointment means that in a few weeks with no funding we have filled some of the gap of the carnival.

“We couldn’t stand by and have no event on Cowley Road this year.”

Andy Anderson, who runs Jamaican cafe Hi-Lo, added: “We will be bringing our barbecue out for the day definitely.

“People are attracted to the Jamaican music here and what we have to offer so it will be a carnival atmosphere at Hi-Lo without a doubt.

“It’s the one day in the calendar we all look forward to.”

An Oxford City Council spokesman said: “In principle, we are happy with what has been proposed for the event on July 5.

“We have asked that the organiser participates in a ‘walk through’ which would provide us with more information and detail about the event and the location and size of different activities.

“This information is needed for example by the emergency services for access arrangements.”

Organisers are still looking for support from charities who could provide marshalls for the event and receive a portion of the donations in return.

Any interested charities should call Erica Steinhauer on 01865 251620.

cwalker@oxfordmail.co.uk