A DROP-IN event has been arranged to talk about the potential removal of Bongate weir in Appleby, labelled as a risk to people’s safety.

There have been two serious accidents over the years and a number of safety concerns have been raised.

The Bongate Weir Group (BWG), made up of several organisations, has been working together to come up with a permanent solution.

Funding has been identified to fully remove the weir this summer from the Environment Agency’s Cumbria River Restoration Strategy programme. This is the only option that it is able to secure funding for.

None of the BWG partners has responsibility for looking after the weir, but if the general feeling of the community is to keep it in place then it will be left to continue to deteriorate.

The group wants to listen to comments from the Appleby community and other interested groups about the proposal to remove the weir.

Should the removal go ahead, and if funding is available, they also want to work with the community to interpret and celebrate the weir so that its cultural importance is not forgotten.

The drop-in session will take place between 12pm and 7pm on January 29 at Appleby Public Hall.