Popular car boot sale could be closed down following complaints (From Gazette Series)

Popular car boot sale in Winterbourne could be closed down following complaints

8:50am Thursday 10th February 2011 in News Exclusive By Alexandra Womack

ORGANISERS of a popular car boot sale in Winterbourne face being closed down this season after serious complaints about the stewards marshalling the event.

The Trench Lane sale, which takes place most Sundays between May and September, is being reviewed by South Gloucestershire Council’s licensing committee following a catalogue of complaints about the 'heavy handed' attitude of staff.

On a number of occasions, buyers attending the event reported that stewards had used insulting, threatening and abusive behaviour towards them.

In several incidents people said they were abused in front of their own children, some as young as three, and one man claimed he was driven off the site by two men on quad bikes.

Avon and Somerset police have now objected to an application by the organisers to renew their licence for another year.

Licensing officer PC Sean Skelhorn said he had researched three incidents in 2010, seven in 2009 and one in 2008. Some of the incidents involved public disorder and there were allegations of hate crime between the marshalls and members of the public. Further complaints have also been made to the council.

In a report to the licensing committee, director of community services Steve Evans said: "During 2010, numerous complaints were made to both the police and the licensing department in relation to the alleged heavy handedness of the marshalling team who conduct traffic direction within the parking area of the site.

"Each complainant is not local to the area and apart from one person who contacted the licensing department on two occasions, all complaints are separate."

Other complaints made about the car boot sale include the state of the toilets, an ice cream van trading illegally and traffic congestion. The council seized counterfeit goods being sold at the site in 2008.

Mr Evans said the applicant and landowner Joan Mann should provide more information on staff training, the organisers’ complaints procedure and who was in overall control of the sales.

He added: "It is the recommendation of the licensing team that due to the nature of the complaints received of threatening, abusive and disorderly conduct towards members of the public where their personal safety was put at risk, that this application either be granted with conditions that will satisfy the panel that members of the public will not be subject to force or fear, or that the application be refused."

Ms Mann was not available for comment this week.