"We will not please everybody all the time" Bedford councillor defends backing of controversial Winter Wonderland event

During last week’s Full Council Meeting (January 15) councillor David Sawyer (Lib Dem, De Parys) asked councillor Andrea Spice if she regretted her comments made at a Planning Committee about the event.

“You spoke in support of the planning application at the planning committee, commenting that the siting of the event in Bedford Park would be good for Bedford as a whole,” councillor Sawyer said.

“A survey of Winter Wonderland revealed that the event did not increase the footfall into Bedford town centre.

“There were several questions including how they got to the event and if they planned to go shopping in the town afterwards, which was one of the key reasons for siting it in Bedford Park.

“You also argued in the planning committee that the Bedford Park location will promote walking or the use of public transport to the event.

“But only 30 per cent of those surveyed walked. and none used public transport, leading to pressure on car parking locally.

“Do you now regret your comments to the planning committee?” he asked.

Councillor Spice (Conservative, Wixams and Wilstead), the portfolio holder for economic growth, planning and prosperity, said: “No, I don’t regret my comments – we have to try these things.

“We can’t just say no to everything, I have seen the survey results that you are referring to.

“What I would like to say is that we are still going to be talking to the company to find out how they have got on, to see it from their side as well as from the visitors’ side.

“We have had good reports.

“Unfortunately the way of the world is whatever it is we do, whichever party does it, we will not please everybody all the time.

“We are doing our best to offer a wide offering to our residents and visitors of the town and we really hope that we achieve that,” she said.