'I became a slave to the fair': Carters Steam Fair owner reveals why he shut down vintage fair

Joby Carter, 47, who held a huge send-off in Reading on October 30, said the venture has run his life like a “military operation” since he took the reins from his parents eight years ago.

People travelled from as far as Australia to Prospect Park to say goodbye to the fair, but Mr Carter said that despite its popularity, the “crazy” travelling was unsustainable and the collection needs a permanent home – "perhaps in Reading."

“We’re a slave to the fair. I love it, I’m so passionate about it, I put my life into it, and in many years propped it up by making money in other ways to keep it going.”

Carter's Steam Fair in Reading on October 30 (Image: Paul King)

He continued: “The workload is tremendous. It’s like a military operation moving the fair and there aren’t many soldiers.

“Until you’ve done it, you can’t fathom how hard it is.”

Carter’s Steam Fair has been touring the country since it was just one ride owned by Mr Carter’s parents in 1977, always making Reading it’s grand finale.

READ MORE: Police hunt for wanted Reading man

“We’ve always gone to Reading as our last stand and it was the right thing to do because we’ve been going there since the 1980s.

“It was very emotional and the hard thing is you’ve got people who have been involved, worked on the fair and lived on the fair for decades and it is a big part of people’s lives.”

Carter's Steam Fair in Reading on October 30 (Image: Paul King)

But that has taken its toll on Mr Carter and his wife Georgina, 31, who “never stopped working” to set up, take down, move and maintain rides dating back to the 1890s.

“Some of the equipment is Victorian and it’s just all fallen on mine and my wife’s shoulders to the point of – no, this is just too much.

READ MORE: "Devastated" family learn machine that could have saved mum sat seconds away

“We’ve had no government funding, no lottery grants we’ve done it all off our own back.

“This is important, people love this, but there’s lots of other things I love doing as well: I love seeing my family, I like going cycling, I like going on holiday – I’ve never had a holiday in the summer.

He continued: “We’ve said enough is enough, but there can be another way we just need help. That might be from Government, a council, a trust.”Carter's Steam Fair in Reading on October 30 (Image: Paul King)

He said he has had offers to buy parts of the ride or to host the collection permanently outside, but he won’t see the attraction split up or damaged by the elements.

“The weather would kill it, it basically needs to be in a working museum or an education centre. There are so many ideas of what we’d like to do – and that could be in Reading who knows.”

He continued: “It’s a case of raising awareness about the plight of the situation and then hopefully someone standing up and going let’s make this happen.”

Carter's Steam Fair (Image: Paul King)

Mr Carter spent the final Steam Fair signing vintage posters, hearing stories from his customers and saying emotional goodbyes.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years and everyone who has worked for us, without them we’d be nothing.”