Blackpool Bird Flu Map

Not sure what this means for the show but Blackpool and surrounding area certainly in several zones of bird flu restrictions:

maybe show will go on but no birds

George & Morgan wrote:

maybe show will go on but no birds

That's my guess too George

was it last year they  had the classes on line

Too close for comfort.

Cannot see how you can plan for anything at the present time regarding the bird flu problem, matters change daily.

Surely the RPRA have made provisional alternatives should pigeons be denied entry.

Think our sport both racing and showing wise is being badly handled by the RPRA.
Thousands of fanciers will have booked hotels etc;

Highlight of the Winter for countless fanciers, in particuler the Show People.

Just hope the show can go on.

Our sports problems appear unending and is badly organised.

Regards.

like you say things can change quickly, the way I see it at the moment Blackpool is in a surveillance zone with controls requiring a license to bring birds of any type into the zone. The auctions might well find it worthwhile considering the income at stake, but I think the small stalls in the show with a couple of dozen birds or so might not bother going through the trouble.

avian flu has been around for years, its not something new .........why suddenly this year its supposedly worse than ever, and all sorts of restrictions are being put in place ?

Been around since the 1800s David.

Apparently raises it's head periodically and becomes a menace.

Do not think anyone bothers until it gets out of control.

Do not think anyone has thought of a vaccine for it which seems strange.

Regards.

back in 70s worked in day old chicks until they left for the egg units  i also worked in the poultry egg laying units never was bird flu mention

the bird flu i'd first heard of was about 10 years ago affecting people in China, similar to the coronavirus outbreak in recent times. It wasn't about infected birds or poultry but about people working in bird industry becoming ill and dying.

this time round it's something different not involving human illness at the moment, but directly killing wild birds and some domestic poultry flocks so I guess 2 totally different strains.

George & Morgan wrote:

back in 70s worked in day old chicks until they left for the egg units  i also worked in the poultry egg laying units never was bird flu mention

Same as anthrax George.

Never hear of it for years and then BANG thousands of cattle burnt.

Regards.

barnie wrote:

the bird flu i'd first heard of was about 10 years ago affecting people in China, similar to the coronavirus outbreak in recent times. It wasn't about infected birds or poultry but about people working in bird industry becoming ill and dying.

this time round it's something different not involving human illness at the moment, but directly killing wild birds and some domestic poultry flocks so I guess 2 totally different strains.

The first known case of bird flue was in Italy in 1878.

It is thought it has been around in one form or another since time began.

Regards.

Seems unlikely any pigeons allowed at Blackpool due to bird flu restrictions, just heard first hand from an exhibitor

just read of auction could now be held outside the zone

Gets heartbreaking for fanciers.

Could spoil the whole season this problem.

But seen some areas have had their' area restrictions lifted, but looking at the map tis too close for comfort.

Sickening does not begin to explain it.

One perishing thing after another.

Problem is Blackpool is only a few weeks away and things change day by day.

Think the RPRA should have taken this into account before allowing pigeons taking part.

Could have kept it like Doncaster for this year

Hotels etc; booked and deposits paid.

Probably the only event ex fanciers look forward to each year meeting old friends etc;


Typical RPRA blunder, the only thing they are good at.

Hope there is a solution.

Regards.

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Just think of the fanciers who have booked hotels and probably paid deposits.

Whole thing been badly thought out, AS IS USUAL WITH THE RPRA.


Stinks.

Regards.

why is it that no one ever questions these things, where are the rpra ...? why are they not saying no racing pigeon has ever caught bird flu ?

no one questions anything, they blindly follow like sheep .......

The organisers have known for months now, no pigeons allowed into or out of Blackpool while restrictions in place yet they have said nothing to the fancy. They've actually still been openly advertising in BHW and online, show birds, stands and auctions, even fancy pigeons in the venue knowing fine well it wasn't allowed.

So vast majority, myself included have paid in advance for hotel and going to end up visiting a watered down Blackpool show once again because last year was rubbish too. Why not be truthful and open with the fancy? Would UEFA advertise the champions league cup final knowing fine well one of the teams couldn't play because this is same situation.
Think this will kill Blackpool Show for the future, sickening so can only wish for a miracle now

Where there is time there is hope but now very little time.

Regards.

covid for two years, now bird flu........it makes you wonder if it is intentional .

defra has always disliked the pigeon fancier and racing pigeons .

Update Monday 9th January, 10.00pm
A special request to DEFRA and APHA to clear the Surveillance Zone affecting the Winter Gardens at Blackpool was received with the required importance and a Specialist Team was sent to the area on Friday 7th January to complete their audit. Unfortunately, as there are a cluster of affected premises joining each other, it is a very complicated situation and although they worked right through the weekend, at a meeting held this morning with an APHA representative at 10am, we were advised that they could not guarantee the lifting of the restrictions by the 20th January to allow us to continue as normal with the show. We could however have pigeons in Blackpool, if a suitable venue could be found in the unaffected area to the south of the town.

Show Chairman David Trippet and I went immediately to Blackpool and on arrival at 2:30pm, we made some arrangements to erect a marquee large enough to hold the 1600 pigeons entered in the 39 Classes with room to spare for sale birds to be housed safely, and although all are in agreement a written confirmation on the site is due tomorrow (Tuesday 10th). This will allow us to obtain a General Licence and the sale birds will have to remain outside the zone, but can indeed be sold by auction or on trade stands in the Winter Gardens to be collected by the buyers just as they are leaving Blackpool for home.

We realise this is far from ideal, and way out of the comfort zone of many fanciers, but it is just a short tram or taxi ride away from the Winter Gardens and the stark reality is that Avian Flu is here to stay, it is not just for this year, and we have to find solutions to work around any possible restrictions at any time in the future, be it for Blackpool or any other pigeon show, quite simply, we cannot let this beat us.

I am aware of the social media comments demanding constant updates and I stand first in line to accept that, but up until 10am today it looked as though we may have been OK. As soon as we were told otherwise, we made the lengthy drive to find a solution and until that was done, there were no accurate updates to give. We now need your support to make the best of the situation for the prospects of all Pigeon Shows, because unless we try, they will die, and this could happen to any one of them.

Chris Sutton
CEO


Statement only came out 10pm last night just because they had been found out. What a mess, you couldn't make this up. I've known since 3rd of January and I'm not even an RPRA member! Yet they've kept their members in the dark long enough to book travel and accommodation, pretending all was well. Be some backlash over this I expect.

just got sent this 10 mins ago colin , this whole bird flu thing is a scam, and the rpra are involved in it .........there will be some end result they are after, some agenda mark my words.

oh by the way, friday wasnt the 7th of january .......

they are still checking if i have 2 birds in olr should i hope know to-day

lets hope you have george, fingers crossed .

[quote="George & Morgan"]they are still checking if i have 2 birds in olr should i hope know to-day[/quote

Thought you had already booked George.

Although in the present situation there is no certainty that the OL will go ahead.

Just one big lash up.

But in fairness the RPRA did not cause the problem.

Just have no idea how to handle it.

Regards.

i have booked but got no confirmation sent emails still heard nothing  pm a office member on facebook he is checking for me now