Traders who closed during Showground event at Harborough meet with district council leader

Traders who closed their businesses during an event at Market Harborough Showground have met with the district council’s leader.

Business owners met with Harborough District Council leader Phil Knowles to discuss the ‘Light and Life’, which took place over four days at the end of July. Up to 800 caravans and 4,000 people were believed to attended the event.

Cllr Knowles said the meeting was an ‘open and frank exchange which he appreciated and valued’.

He said: "Officers and I heard at first hand details from the traders and importantly we heard details of other matters that the traders are confronted with regularly throughout the year. I was extremely grateful to the traders for their openness. It will prove extremely beneficial in moving forward.

“It was also an opportunity for us to share with the traders the facts. Where responsibility rests for certain functions such as licensing, policing and highway matters. Where the ownership of the site and management rests. It was a chance to dispel rumours that have been peddled and replace them with details, dates and fact.

“There is to be a major debriefing session of the multi-agency panel. Once that is completed, I have agreed with the traders that I will host a second meeting for them to meet with me as leader of the district council and that the date will be confirmed as soon as possible. The intention is to follow on from the discussion we have had, share detail following the debrief, encourage as many businesses as possible to attend and to look forward together.”

The meeting follows calls by Harborough MP Neil O’Brien for lessons to be learnt following the event, after many businesses made the decision to close.

He said: “Nobody wants to see businesses shuttered up and closed. The loss of income and disruption caused has been considerable and we must ensure that is not repeated. It is not acceptable that scores of local businesses felt the need to shut during what would have been a busy mid-summer weekend.”