'The money has gone to consultants' Anger at no support for restarted farmers' market
A Herefordshire entrepreneur says he is facing 'massive resistance' from town bosses to his plan to restart a farmers' market – despite this being an avowed aim of the town.
Robin Oakey, co-owner of The Barn events venue in Ledbury, is having to fund what he intends will be an ongoing event which restarts on the adjacent St Katherine's Square on Saturday, April 12, between 9am and 2pm, following a five-year layoff in the wake of the pandemic.
But he claimed money awarded to the town to boost tourism-friendly events 'has all gone on consultants, telling us how to start a farmers' market and a festival'.
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Meanwhile, the town council 'haven't got back to me' on his bid for a 'tiny' amount of the remaining funding to kick-start his actual farmers' market, Mr Oakey added.
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'So I'm having to pay the council £200 of my own money to rent the square – which was intended for public events.'
Adjacent sign advertising the farmers' market - which has remained in place (Image: Robin Oakey / Facebook) Indeed Herefordshire Council's Ledbury Investment Plan from four years ago said the square, landscaped at a cost then put at £120,000, 'could be transferred as an asset to the council to enhance the council's space for holding markets and events in the heart of the town'.
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One town councillor had attempted to put up a poster for the upcoming farmers' market at the nearby council offices – 'but it was taken down', Mr Oakey said.
Meanwhile an area beside the iconic 16th-century Market House continues to be fenced off for the town's official 'charter market' on Tuesdays and Saturdays, but with few or no stalls, he added.
Ledbury Town Council declined to comment on the specifics of Mr Oakey's case, but confirmed that funding to develop tourism, events and markets from the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund via Herefordshire Council will lead to a report for the town council 'in the near future'.
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