A disagreement between two organisations delayed Burnie’s premier harness racing event on Sunday.
The Burnie Agricultural and Pastoral Society (BAPS) had locked a gate at the bottom end of the showgrounds.
The Burnie Harness Racing Club uses the gate to access an area where horse floats and trucks can park off the street.
Club president Mark Summers said the society locked the gates as a form of “payback.”
“On the Burnie Show Friday we opened our bar at 3pm because that is what we do every Friday afternoon, and we have done it on other show days in the past,” Mr Summers said.
“They asked us to close the bar, and this is payback for not doing that.”
BAPS vice president Peter Broadfield said he asked them to close the bar because the show aimed to be a family-friendly event.
“We are just tired of their lack of common courtesy, opening the bar on the show is just an example, the last time they used our property for the racing they left it damaged,” Mr Broadfield said.
“Our board had a meeting, and we decided to change the locks because they had keys to the gate.
“We have a right not to allow access through the gate as it is our private property.”
We have a right not to allow access through the gate as it is our private property
Peter Broadfield
Mr Summers said he would have appreciated being informed of the BAPS intentions to lock the gate at an earlier date so he could have made other arrangements.
“Putting the sign on there a day or two before the day we would like to normally gain access is a little unreasonable,” Mr Summers said.
Mr Broadfield said he felt the racing club should have asked for permission to use the gate and their private property.
“The way I look at it is, would you tell your neighbours that you were locking your gate up and they wouldn’t be able to get into your property or should your neighbours ask you permission to enter your property,” Mr Broadfield said.
Mr Summers said he discussed with BAPS representatives, where they voiced their concerns on public liability issues.
“They then requested we pay a fee of $500 to open up the gates,” Mr Summers said.
“We needed to get the trucks and floats and horses and everybody off the public streets as quickly as we possibly could, so I accepted the offer.”
By Rebecca Morris