Council acts like Scrooge after axing Christmas market - MP

Lincoln's Christmas market started in 1982 with just 11 stalls as part of its twinning with the town of Neustadt in Germany

A council acted "like a convention of Grinches or Scrooges" by axing one of the UK's longest-running Christmas markets, an MP has said.

Despite a petition signed by thousands of people, Labour-run Lincoln City Council has agreed to end its market due to overcrowding safety fears.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said the safety concerns were manageable.

Meanwhile, the Conservative group said it would be calling-in the decision "due to a lack of public consultation".

The market, which started in 1982, drew record crowds of 320,000 over four days last year - a rise on its ideal 250,000 limit.

CCCTV images presented to a meeting of the authority's executive committee on Monday showed the "uncomfortably" busy crowds during the peak day of the event.

Simon Walters, strategic director of communities and environment, said it was so busy the "visitor experience" suffered and the market "took a hit in terms of reputation".

In 2022, at least 320,000 people visited the four-day festive event in Lincoln

Speaking afterwards, Mr McCartney, the city's Conservative MP, said: "The Labour councillors have acted a bit like a convention of Grinches or Scrooges this evening.

"I don't think 30 minutes, if that, of discussion before they voted unanimously to scrap a 40-year-old Christmas market is giving due consideration and justice to the decision that they've made.

"Yes, there are safety concerns and, of course, nobody wants anybody to be put in any harm's way at all. But that's all manageable."

Conservative group leader Councillor Tom Dyer said they would be calling-in the decision because of a lack of consultation with businesses and residents.

It means the proposals will go to the scrutiny committee, who will be able to ask questions and make further recommendations for the executive to consider.

Despite overall local economy benefits, the market has been a loss maker for the council with the authority predicting an £80,000 loss for 2022.

Instead, the council said it wanted to spread the £260,000 budget for the market across of a series of Christmas in Lincoln events.

Speaking at the meeting, council leader Ric Metcalf said it had not made the proposal "lightly or impulsively".

"We know the affection that the Christmas market is held in and how important it is," hwe said.

However, he said there was a "compelling case" to be made for changes and added: "If it goes on growing at this rate... it will certainly become unsafe."