Cosham community puts on its own 'fantastic' fayre across 25 homes' driveways

More than 25 homes across four streets around the Highbury area took part in the bank holiday bonanza on Saturday, with talented residents selling everything from cocktails to crochet animals.

With some sellers taking hundreds of pounds from scores of passersby, the event’s success has surprised its organiser, who rallied the community on social media.

Christine Judge, who sold handmade cards from outside her house in Hawthorn Crescent, said: ‘It’s gone a lot better than I thought – it’s been fantastic.

‘Someone on Facebook said we have some talented people who live around here and it’s a shame we can’t get together.

‘We had a big street party for VE Day last year, and I thought, ‘why can’t we do something similar now?’.

‘I couldn’t believe how many people were interested in taking part.’

Other streets across the city are now looking to replicate the event, according to Christine.

The 54-year-old said: ‘There’s a couple of roads in Drayton that want to hold something similar, and they have asked for my advice.’

For Sal Payer, who sold slushy drinks from her drive in Chatsworth Avenue, the day was not only lucrative, but a ‘fantastic’ way to reunite neighbours who have not spoken for years.

She said: ‘We have made a couple of hundred pounds.

‘For me, it’s been manic, I haven’t stopped.

‘It’s been a fantastic idea. It brings the whole community together.

‘We have seen neighbours that we haven’t seen for years.’

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Seema Lloyd, selling bric-and-brac from her house along the same road, agreed: ‘It’s been nice to speak to lots of people we see around the area, but don’t normally get a chance to speak to.

‘It’s been like a continuation of the community spirit we had last year in the pandemic.’

The fayre was also an opportunity for residents to highlight the creative businesses they either started or hard-hit because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Artist Lara Markham, a 23-year-old marketing student selling her own caricatures and prints, said: ‘I have been drawing my whole life, but only started my business last year. I was working in a gym and I was on furlough for about six months. I had nothing to do so I started the business.’

Her brother Oliver, aged 29 and the owner of the Pour Pony mobile bar-for-hire, said: ‘We’ve been really busy – everyone’s brought down friends and family. I was surprised by the number of people taking part, but with the pandemic, I think everyone has become a lot more creative.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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