Clipping from page 93 of the South Wales Echo titled 'Charles Street to go ahead with carnival', reporting on failed attempt to stop the Charles Street Carnival, Cardiff, 27 July 1995

Disgrifiad

An article from the South Wales Echo reporting on the failed attempts by church leaders at St David’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Cardiff to stop the Charles Street Carnival in 1995.

In June 1977, Cardiff Community Concern started the Charles Street Carnival as a community groups' alternative celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. This became an annual event and grew into a separate organisation, Charles Street Arts. Cardiff Community Concern was an alternative advice and information centre for young people. It was founded by Ian Horsburgh and was based in 58 Charles Street.

The article reads:

Charles Street to go ahead with carnival - By Philip Nifield

THE Charles Street carnival in Cardiff will go ahead on Saturday, despite opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.

City councillors confirmed the closure of the road, allowing the 19th annual celebration to proceed but gave conditions to the community arts group organisers.

The Archbishop of Cardiff, the Most Rev John Aloysius Ward, had argued against the event taking place outside St David’s Cathedral. He said it was the wrong location and claimed the cathedral had been used as a urinal in the past, with rubbish dumped over the walls.

And last year's Lord Mayor, Ricky Ordmonde told the city council: “We are not killjoys. We like festivals. But many people go in the cathedral so they can have solitude. Surely the festival committee can find an alternative site.”

But another councillor, Mike German, declared: “My Archbishop has got it wrong. I've not had one single complaint as the ward councillor.

“It seems appropriate to me that a city centre cathedral should be a focus for community activity as happens all across Europe.”

And Elaine Morgan, wife of Bob Morgan, vicar of the Church of the Resurrection, said that, during the recent Ely Festival, the church had been at the heart of the community.

A spokesman for carnival organiser the Charles Street Arts Committee, said she was delighted at the decision.