12:12pm Tuesday 16th June 2009
By Simon Carr
CARNIVAL chiefs have hit out at English Heritage and accused the Government-funded body of taking cash from the pockets of Hampshire charities.
Organiser of Waltham Carnival Bob Humphries has slammed the group for a 100 per cent rent hike that added about £500 to the cost of holding the event, which raised £10,000 The Bishop’s Waltham Rotary Club was stunned when it was hit with a bill for £1,000 from English Heritage to hold the 19th annual carnival in the ruins of the palace.
Mr Humphries said: “It was disappointing that we had to charge people more to get in to try and recoup this cost.
"We were worried it might put families off.
“The fact the fete still raised so much money is a real testimony to the local people who got involved and made it a success.”
The £5,000 raised by the club will help fund youth projects and other initiatives and an additional £5,000 is believed to have been raised by charities that had stalls on the day.
Despite admission prices going up to £1.50 for adults and 50p for kids, more than 1,500 attended the festivities and many added colour to the day by putting on fancy dress.
English Heritage boss Dawn Postlethwaite said the costs had gone up as a result of rising utility overheads and the commercial price of hiring the area would have been £3,250.
She added that as it was a charity event the club was entitled to a ten per cent discount but instead English Heritage decided to rent it out at cost, £800 plus tax, because of its importance to the community.
She said: “The event was very successful and we are disappointed that this issue has been raised.”
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