The world-famous Stilton Cheese Rolling race has been cancelled amid claims that young people “don’t think it’s cool” any more.
The annual May Day event was launched back in 1959, according to the BBC News website, in a bid to draw more visitors to the village of Stilton, in Cambridgeshire, after it was bypassed by the A1. For years, eager teams of competitors rolled wooden blocks resembling the cheese through the streets.
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According to a Facebook post, Stilton Parish Council deliberated for months before determining that in order to make a real contest of it, the event requires at last 12 men’s teams and eight women’s teams.
“We have not come anywhere near those targets for four years,” said the Facebook post. “The young people are marginally more keen to join in, but it is no longer seen as ‘cool’.”
The announcement triggered a “major backlash” from Stilton locals, according to Metro. Villager Barry Neal said: “Getting arrested at cheese rolling every year for getting drunk and fighting was part of my childhood, I’m gutted that my children will not be able to enjoy this family ritual.”
The Stilton event is not to be confused with the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling event - set for 28 May this year - which sees competitors chase a 3.5kg Double Gloucester cheese down the steep slope of Cooper’s Hill in Brockworth.