FAMILIES and charities are being urged to boycott this year's Bedfont Country Fair in protest at a hike in prices.
Visitors will be charged for admission for the first time in the event's 15 year history, while charities are being put off holding stalls by £25 charges.
John Laing – the company which runs Hounslow's leisure services on behalf of the council – said the charges of £2 per person and £25 per charity stall are needed to stop the event making a loss.
But Chronicle columnist and vice chair of Feltham History Group, Eddie Menday, has branded the fees 'outrageous' and encouraged families and charities to boycott the July 26 event.
“As a protest we would urge people not to attend,” he said. “I feel that the high-handed policy of John Laing will ruin the fair as we know it and destroy what has been a highly successful community event.”
One of the biggest annual fairs in London, the July celebration in Bedfont Lakes Country Park regularly draws more than 6,000 people to enjoy a funfair, farm animals, crafts and stalls.
It was previously run by the park rangers but responsibility has now passed to Laing – a move Mr Menday thinks the council may regret.
“Our history group will not be going down there. We are not a money-making effort and cannot justify spending £25 just to hold a stall there. I understand a number of other regular stallholders are planning to stay away too,” he said. “We have never paid in the past and we are not going to start now.”
Laing have argued that the increase in cost to visitors is likely to be small as the £3.50 car parking charge is to be abolished and claimed that the charge for charities was £20 last year, not free as Mr Menday suggests.
Service Desk Manager Ashley Riches also implored people not to boycott the event, saying: “We want to see the event continue in years to come and to support the fair to increase in popularity. Its future success is entirely dependent on ensuring a maximum attendance on the day.”
