Christmas events 'disappearing due to red tape'

Community Christmas events are at risk of disappearing because of "overwhelming" paperwork around health and safety, it is being claimed.

Requirements covering potential threats from terrorism, bombs and even drones are becoming "too onerous", event organisers in Lincolnshire have told the BBC.

Brian Burbidge, who has organised Horncastle Christmas Market for the past 12 years, said the local authority expected him to "cover absolutely all eventualities".

East Lindsey District Council said it was recruiting two new members of staff to help groups navigate the requirements.

The annual Christmas fair in Woodhall Spa has been held for 25 years, attracting about 4,000 people.

But it has been cancelled this year because of what organisers call "an insurmountable barrier" of health and safety requirements.

A statement by the Woodhall Spa Rotary Club, which staged the event, said it was being asked to block off two roads "to prevent drive-through terrorism" and employ a traffic management company.

"We would have to draft and issue written guidance to marshals and stewards on procedures in the event of a terrorist attack," the statement added.

Some of the village businesses have come together to put on a much smaller event, with no road closures.

In the neighbouring town of Horncastle, the annual Christmas market is going ahead, but organiser Mr Burbidge said the paperwork had become "onerous" and he was "fearful" about the future.

"It includes things like bomb threats, counter-terrorism, traffic management and even what to do if someone flies a drone overhead," he said.

"We're just a group of volunteers putting on a community event, but it will disappear if this continues.

"I know others who are cancelling because they don't want the risk or the cost of using a private events management company."

Over the past two years, several events around Lincolnshire have become victim to rising costs and concerns over public safety, including Lincoln Christmas Market, the Woodhall Spa 1940s Festival and the Lincolnshire Steam Rally.

Joanne Holderness, who owns Grace's Boutique in Horncastle, said losing the Christmas market would be a big blow.

"It's the best day of the year and the town does really well from it," she said.

"I would be devastated if it finished, because it's a small town with a lot of independent shops and the market is just what we need."

Other event organisers, who spoke to the BBC, said they had felt "intimidated" when invited to appear before an East Lindsey health and safety panel made up of representatives from agencies including the police and the council.

The meetings are meant to help groups make events as safe as possible – and to protect them from the risk of litigation or even prison if it all goes wrong.

But one organiser described his meeting with the panel as "brutal".

Both the Woodhall Spa and Horncastle groups received advice from East Lindsey Events Safety Advisory Group, which operates on behalf of the district council.

Councillor Graham Marsh, the deputy leader of the council, said he understood that some of the policies were "a little bit over the top" and it would be "tragic" if events were cancelled.

However, he said the authority "has to open people's eyes to litigation because we live in such litigious times now".

The council said the two new members of staff would help groups with the paperwork.

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