Leicester council branded 'Scrooges' over £64 Christmas market fee

The charge has been made due to the events' proximity to Leicester Market

A row has broken out after a city council used a centuries-old charter to charge organisers £64 to hold festive events in nearby towns.

Leicester City Council demanded a fee from volunteers before Christmas lights switch-on events in Oadby and Wigston.

The council has drawn on a charter - granted by King John in 1199 - which says they are "rival markets" due to their proximity to Leicester Market.

It led to an MP branding council bosses "Scrooges".

Oadby's Christmas light event is due to take place on Saturday, with Wigston's scheduled for 26 November.

'Absurd'

The city council has used legislation granted to the authority by the Royal Markets Charter - later signed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1589 - and by the Local Food Act 1984 to make the request.

The policy states that any market operated within six and two-thirds miles of the council-run market is deemed a "rival market".

The events were organised by community groups, which have been asked to pay £64 each - reduced from £430 by the council.

However, Neil O'Brien, Conservative MP for Harborough - who represents both towns - denied they were rival markets and called on the Labour-run council to cancel the charge.

"It is absurd for the council to suggest that these two one-off festive events are somehow rivalling Leicester Market," he said.

"They have successfully taken place for several years and are enjoyed by hundreds of my constituents annually.

"Whilst the cost of the fee has now been reduced, the fact remains that the council is still attempting to dust off and take advantage of an age-old policy to make a profit from events that bring some festive cheer.

"I have written to the City Mayor to tell him that he should stop his officials acting like Scrooge and urge his council to drop the fee."

The organisers of the events have been asked to pay a reduced fee of £64 each

The Oadby Town Centre Association, which organised the event, said the charge had "caused such unneeded stress to our volunteers".

The council said it would continue to "exercise [its] right" to have markets regulated in the area that the charter specifies.

A spokesperson said: "In common with many other local authorities, we have a long-established Rival Markets policy which requires Leicester City Council to give consent for any event that classes as a market.

"This is highlighted on Oadby and Wigston Borough Council's own website, and has been so for many years, advising anyone planning a market event to contact us.

"We got in touch with this community group as soon as we became aware they were putting on this event, so that we could work with the organisers to help them run the event while meeting these legal requirements.

"This includes reducing the fees to ensure the event remains financially viable, although it would be unfair for us to waive the fees entirely in one instance and not another."