The UK’s second oldest carnival, Ventnor Carnival, has received a shock bill to close many roads along its route.
Ventnor Carnival – which has been running since 1889 – recently received a bill for £400 as a result of new charges introduced by the local authority.
The committee say they were unaware of the new fees and would have to pay for the event to go ahead due to the lack of carnivals in 2021.
However, councilor Phil Jordan has offered a solution, which has been accepted. The fee has been reduced by 50% to £200, putting both the main and illuminated processions on a single piece of paperwork. In addition, the carnival committee does not have to pay until 2023.
A spokesman for Isle of Wight Council said:
“The cost of parking suspension is £20 per space per day. The council’s parking department wants to support events, so it charges a nominal fee of £50 per street, regardless of the number of bays.
“In previous years, the council has undertaken suspensions of free parking for Ventnor Carnival based on historical knowledge of the route, rather than a direct request from the Ventnor Carnival Association.
“The council contacted the organizers to make sure they were aware of the costs. Since then, Ventnor Carnival has been in touch and the authority has offered a number of options to avoid or reduce the fees.
The writing continues below this ad “The Isle of Wight is lucky to have so many different and colorful parades, and we work hard to support as many as possible, but at a time of significant budget pressures we need to cover costs and not impact in providing essential services.”
The main procession and children’s carnival will be held on August 10, while the illuminated carnival will be held 3 days later on August 13.
