TENBURY town council has turned down a request to hold a car boot sale on the Burgage in the town in August.

Before the coronavirus lockdown the town used to have regular sales but a request to restart in order to bring about a return to a semblance of normality has been turned down.

The town council that owns the land feels that the time is not right and the risk to be public cannot be justified.

They say that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to police the social distancing necessary to keep people safe.

The council heard that not having the August Bank Holiday car book sale would cost the town council £500 at a time when finances are under pressure because the Pumps Rooms are closed.

But councillors were in agreement that having the money would not justify the risk.

Steve Bowkett warned that the Council had to be sure that it did not leave itself in a position where it could be blamed for any outbreak of coronavirus.

“We have to follow Government guidelines and this is not the time,” he said.

“A car boot sale will involve people getting close together.

“We need the money but we do not need the virus and there are a lot of elderly people in Tenbury.”

The Mayor, Eric Hudson, said that the town council had to operate within the resources available to it.

“We simply don’t have the resources to police this and if someone caught the virus what would be the position of the council?”

Tenbury Town Council has started a programme of cleaning benches and other equipment every two days. A foot operated sanitiser has been installed in the play area.

The decision on the car boot sale raises a question mark over events that are scheduled for later in the year.

Autumn is a major season for events in Tenbury including the annual Apple Fest followed by the Mistletoe Festival and sales leading up to Christmas.