A Bedford borough councillor has said it’s “good news” that Winter Wonderland isn’t returning to Bedford Park this year.
Cllr Jonathan Abbott (Lib Dem, Clapham and Oakley) asked for a Wonderland update during yesterday’s Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Thursday, 25 September).
Paul Pace, service director – public realm, highways and waste management at the council, said: “There is no Winter Wonderland this year – the operator has decided not to return to the park.”
Cllr Colleen Atkins (Labour, Harpur) said: “It’s good news that Winter Wonderland isn’t coming to Bedford Park.
“You’ve just said that the proprietor has decided not to come to Bedford Park, is that to Bedford full stop, or is there somewhere else that they are thinking of holding a Winter Wonderland?” she asked.
Read: Council to investigate illegal Winter Wonderland fly-posting
“They’re not coming to Bedford at this moment in time,” Mr Pace replied, “There’s very few locations where they can operate the scale and the footprint they wish to do.
“That’s not to say it won’t ever return to somewhere in Bedford, but it won’t be this year.”
Mr Pace added that the condition of the site had returned “back to how it should be” and bonds funded the work.
“I can assure you that no tax council taxpayers’ money has been used to do that,” he said.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
