PLANS to hold part of this year's Taste Cumbria festival in a Cockermouth park have been shelved - following opposition from the town council.

Cockermouth Town Council owns Memorial Gardens. Allerdale Borough Council, which runs the festival, applied for permission to use part of the gardens during the late September event which attracts thousands of people.

Following a presentation from organiser Ellie Jones at meeting on Wednesday, councillors voted against the application, saying there had been problems in the past with the ground being badly affected and calling for the festival to focus on the town centre.

Last year's event included a drinks tent and stage on Wakefield Road car park. The organisers hoped to have the same set up this year but transfer it on to the gardens, freeing up much-needed space in the car park.

Ms Jones said: "It's a great open space which we would like to use.

"We are proposing a small festival bar and stage in the marquee with flooring so it would not churn up the grass.

"If there was bad weather it would be moved to the car park."

Rubber matting would be laid in the park to protect the ground from vehicles and footfall and there would be straw on standby, said Ms Jones.

There would be a producers' market, activities and events happening on Main Street and Market Place, the council heard.

Cllr Isabel Burns said: "In the past we were assured if the weather was inclement it would not happen but it did happen and it was such a mess.

"I also received numerous complaints last time from people on St Helen's Street, about Market Place being closed but nothing happening there."

Ms Jones said she had met with businesses in January and there were lots of plans for Market Place this year.

When Taste Cumbria combined with Northbound music festival in 2019 there was a stage, stalls and a beer tent in Memorial Gardens. The gardens were also used in 2011 and 2012.

Cllr Alan Smith said: "This is a great event which fills hotels and holiday lets up.

"I do not think you should use Memorial Gardens but work out a plan for the town centre, using South Street, Station Street and car parks.

"When this launched in 2010 it was all about getting the town back on its feet after the floods. Moving to Memorial Gardens was a derogatory move, it's the wrong place at the wrong time of the year.

"My phone never stopped ringing after the 2019 event. So much damage was done."

Cllr Richard Watson said: "I suggest we go ahead with the plan, it would be difficult to rehash it between now and September, but ask them to think about an alternative for next year, such as moving into the town centre."

Four councillors voted in favour of the gardens being used, seven against.

READ MORE: Covid surge in hospitals