CAR boot sales and other events in Tenbur y are threatened by the move to improve the children’s play area, it is claimed.

Owen Ball says improvements that will be completed at the end of the month are likely to mean that other events on the Burgage will have to be cancelled.

Mr Ball, who has run the car boot sales on the Burgage for the past six years, has called off the one planned for Easter and says future events are in serious jeopardy.

“The town council has dropped a clanger by making the new play area open plan and with no fencing,” said Mr Ball, who runs four car boot sales on the Burgage every year.

“Because there is no fencing around the play area, it will be necessary for anyone running an event to erect temporary fencing to keep the children away from where there are vehicles.”

He said the cost could be as high as £500 a time, which would make many events unviable in the future.

“There are four car boot sales each year, one at Easter, two in May and one in August that attract up to 150 vehicles as well as other events, such as the annual fireworks and the Apple Fest.

I just don’t think they have thought it through,” he said.

But Richard Jones, Mayor of Tenbury, said an open plan design for the play area was the best option and would leave the way clear for further expansion in the future.

“If we put up fences that subsequently had to be taken down when we extend the play area then the council would be accused of wasting money,” he said.

He said it is reasonable for people who want to park cars on the Burgage to have to separate them from children but believed that this could be done at little cost.