A 200-year-old Boxing Day tradition became a battleground between rural heritage and modern animal rights activism when hundreds defied their own town council’s declaration that they were “not welcome.”
Story Overview
- Tiverton Town Council formally declared Boxing Day fox hunt “not welcome” after BBC presenter Chris Packham called it “ethically and morally bankrupt”
- Hundreds of supporters attended anyway, vastly outnumbering the 50 protesters who showed up with anti-hunting placards
- Hunt leaders used the event to rally opposition against Labour’s planned ban on trail hunting scheduled for consultation in 2026
- The confrontation reflects a deeper cultural divide between urban political elites and rural communities defending centuries-old traditions
Democracy Versus Tradition in Devon
The Tiverton Foxhounds gathered outside the Half Moon pub at 11 a.m. on Boxing Day, exactly as they have for two centuries. This time, however, they faced unprecedented local government opposition. The town council had voted weeks earlier to formally declare the hunt unwelcome after intense lobbying from wildlife presenter Chris Packham, who branded the event morally bankrupt.
Kelvin Thomas, representing the Tiverton Foxhounds, addressed the crowd from horseback with pointed defiance. “Apparently we’re not welcome and you’re not welcome, but nice to see you anyway,” he declared, before telling Packham to “stay out of rural affairs” and promising the hunt would return next year regardless of political opposition.
Celebrity Activism Meets Rural Resistance
Chris Packham’s intervention transformed a local Boxing Day tradition into a national flashpoint. The BBC presenter’s campaign to pressure Tiverton councillors represents a broader pattern of urban media figures attempting to reshape rural culture through political pressure. His critics argue this exemplifies exactly the kind of metropolitan interference that alienates countryside communities from mainstream politics.
The stark numerical difference between supporters and protesters tells its own story. While Packham’s influence proved sufficient to sway the town council, it could not overcome genuine grassroots support for the hunt. About 50 protesters gathered with placards and a cardboard cutout of Packham, but they were vastly outnumbered by hundreds of supporters who turned out to defend their tradition.
National Political Battle Lines
The Tiverton confrontation occurred against the backdrop of Labour’s announced plan to ban trail hunting entirely, with public consultation beginning in early 2026. Trail hunting was developed after the 2004 Hunting Act as a legal alternative where hounds follow artificial scents rather than live animals. Critics claim this serves as cover for continued illegal fox hunting.
Across England, thousands attended similar Boxing Day meets that doubled as political rallies. Will Bryer of the Duke of Beaufort Hunt declared the countryside “under assault and siege,” warning the government it faced a fight over the proposed ban. Jane Bowen of the Grove and Rufford Hunt pleaded with authorities to “please leave us alone,” insisting hunts operate legally and contribute over £100 million annually to rural economies.
The Deeper Cultural Divide
Rob Pownall of animal rights group Protect the Wild argues Boxing Day hunts are “deliberately staged as tradition and spectacle” to normalize unacceptable behavior. This perspective reflects urban sensibilities increasingly dominant in national politics but disconnected from rural lived experience. Hunt supporters point to polling showing 65% of voters believe Labour unfairly neglects country communities.
The Tiverton standoff crystallizes this broader tension. A democratically elected local council, influenced by celebrity activism, declared a centuries-old tradition unwelcome in its own community. Yet the community itself overwhelmingly rejected that declaration through peaceful demonstration. This raises fundamental questions about whose voice truly represents local democratic will and whether cultural traditions should bow to shifting political fashions.
Sources:
Hundreds attend Boxing Day hunt despite being told they are ‘not welcome’ – The Independent
