AN EAST Oxford publican is staging a fundraising event to help make sure Cowley Road Carnival returns to its home turf this year.

Lance Cowan, who runs the James Street Tavern, is hosting a 12-hour marathon of comedy, live music and food to raise money to help stage the carnival, which is reliant on donations and grants.

Last week, carnival organisers announced Cowley Road will once again play host to a colourful street procession as part of a two-day celebration in July – provided enough money can be raised.

Cowley Road Works say they need to raise £150,000 to stage an event both in Cowley Road and at South Park and have budgeted for Cowley Road traders to find £25,000 of the cash needed.

However, so far just three businesses, the First Floor Restaurant, Excelsior Café and Eastern & Continental Stores have responded to a call for each business in the road to put in £250.

Mr Cowan, hopes 300-400 people will attend the music extravaganza – netting the carnival about £1,000.

The 28-year-old, who has set up a Save Cowley Road Carnival Facebook group, which has 648 members, said: “The time through the summer is a quiet time for a lot of traders in Cowley Road without the students, so one of the reasons we need it back here is to bring in extra trade for businesses here.

“It’s important to keep trade going, because for businesses it’s a difficult time right now.

“I thought the carnival in South Park last year was a great event but it wasn’t the Cowley Road Carnival.”

“It was very disappointing last year that it didn’t happen and there’s a lot of bitterness among traders, but I think we need to give the organisers the benefit of the doubt and support them.”

The pub’s Cowley Road Carnival Fundraiser Day is on Saturday, April 3, from 1.30pm to 1.30am.