'Up to £7,000' funding will help Leighton Buzzard May Fayre thrive in the future and ensure 'quality'

Organisers, the Leighton-Linslade Rotary Club, approached the council to see if it could consider a financial contribution of between £5,000 to £7,000 to help the event survive during an "economic storm".

The town has not seen a May Fayre since 2019, but huge crowds attended this year's Jubilee Fayre in the High Street and Parson’s Close Recreation Ground.

A Leighton-Linslade Rotary Club spokesman told the LBO: "We talked about the Town Council supporting the Jubilee Fayre, which they very kindly did this year, and when we held our debrief it was generally accepted to have been a big success. We wanted to maintain that quality that we managed to achieve and take it over to the May Fayre.

"However, we are doing it in the background of a perfect economic storm, while artists and entertainers are having to put their costs up.

"We asked if the council could support us to the same level as they did for the Jubilee Fayre, and we are pleased to say that without much persuasion the council recommended that they should."

The club is now looking forward to returning the "staple of the Leighton-Linslade calendar" to its place as the town's "traditional start of summer”.

The spokesman added: "We are now eagerly waiting to hear whether the government wants to move the May bank holiday to coincide with the coronation.

"We have already booked some attractions. We have the Jez Avery Stunt Show (quad bikes), a falconry group, and live chainsaw wood carving.

"There will also be the funfair and the stage that we had for the Jubilee. There will be acts including an RAF band."

The funding decision was made at latest meeting of the Policy and Finance Committee.

The spokesman concluded: "They [the councillors] went round the table and they all said that it's important to maintain the quality for people, and we [the Rotary Club] feel that we can deliver that quality.

"As always, it's great to thank the Town Council for all their support, but I think the biggest thank you goes to the people of the town, because honestly, without their support, there wouldn't even be a Santa or May Fayre."