Spalding Flower Parade organiser disappointed with Long Sutton Parish Council's snub
The organiser of the revived Spalding Flower Parade has reacted with disappointment to a parish council’s decision not to enter a float into the event.
Long Sutton Parish Council last week decided not to take part in next May’s event, nor will it donate £1,000 towards the cost of entering a float with other parishes.
While Stephen Timewell says this is a missed opportunity for the council, he is more upset about its plans to use the money towards holding another event on the same day.
He said: “I’m really disappointed. While it doesn’t make a difference to the parade - we’re full in terms of floats - I do think it’s a missed opportunity for them.
“Several other councils are entering floats; Pinchbeck, Moulton, Holbeach to name a few and there’s a few more I’m just waiting for confirmation from.
“I think it’s very selfish to the people of Long Sutton for the parish council not to have asked them about it and if they wanted to have some involvement.”
“I think the worst part of this is that they are looking at organising an event on the same day.
“They’ve missed the point because I don’t actually think it will benefit them. People from Long Sutton will still want to come to the flower parade so there will be many who end up not being able to support their local event as they’ll be in Spalding.”
Steve - who this week decided to move the date of the parade due to a clash with King Charles III's coronation - has also rebuffed claims that the parade will only benefit Spalding’s economy.
Steve added: “I should think the parade will benefit everyone in South Holland really. We have eight coaches booked so far with one from Devon, another from Lancashire and Hertfordshire too.
“People will be coming in from all over and I’m sure they’ll be making more than a day of it.”
District councillors David Wilkinson, Jack Tyrrell, Chris Brewis and Michael Booth have donated £250 each to make up what Long Sutton Parish Council would have paid for the float.
