Circus performers near Grantham rely on Foodbank donations amid claims they've 'been forgotten' by government
Circus performers based near Grantham have been relying on charity handouts since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
More than 50 circus artistes are currently living at the winter headquarters of Uncle Sam’s Great American Circus, off the A607 Lincoln Road at Honington.
With no money coming in since the Government closed all mass gatherings in March, the majority of performers have been surviving on handouts from Grantham Foodbank and church donations.
Ringmaster and manager Paul Martinez fears that it could spell the end for the circus industry if they are not able to reopen soon.
He said: “We had only just started our annual tour in February, which had already been postponed due to bad weather.
“As the situation got more serious, we took the decision to postpone the next few shows for fear of being stranded in our Derby venue.
“We are a big company and would not have had access to a water or electricity supply, so we decided that it was best to take everyone back to our winter quarters in Grantham. It was a tough decision but the risk was too great.
“At first we expected that we would be able to start touring again during the Easter period, which would have been one of our most profitable periods, but obviously that wasn’t to be.”
As more time passes, Paul is concerned for the welfare of all the performers.
He added: “Most of our company are foreign nationals from Cuba, Brazil and Europe.
“They have not been able to travel back to their native countries throughout of all of this and are worried about their families. They are entitled to work in this country on their working visas but not entitled to any financial help from the government. They have essentially been left stranded.
“Luckily, some wonderful people have donated food parcels from the Grantham Foodbank and others from the church have been delivering meals a few nights a week, which we all are most thankful for and find their generosity most humbling.”
Paul feels angry that they have been “overlooked” by the government.
He added: “The circus is the oldest form of British entertainment but it seems that we do not exist in the eyes of the government.
“The only way that our business on a whole will survive is by being permitted to tour again, but as the government has not included us in any guidelines or business category, we are left puzzled and quite angry.”
Plans have already been put in place by the circus team for reopening, when that is allowed to happen.
Paul said: “We are probably in a better position than most businesses to implement safety precautions. We can seat up to 1,000 people in our big tops, so we could reduce audience numbers to 250 people to allow for social distancing.”
But Paul fears that if action is not taken soon, it might be too late.
He added: “There will be no circuses left in the country if we don’t receive any guidance soon.
“The circus industry will be totally destroyed, which will be a terrible shame to all of the families that are a part of the business and, of course, the British public.
“The circus has always been self-sufficient and has never had to ask the government for help until now.
“Please don’t ignore us, help before it’s too late.”