Hire fees for the Beccles Quay field are to be reduced

Beccles Fenland Charity Trust has decided to reduce the hire charges of the Beccles Quay field from £400 per day to £300 per trading day from April 2025. 

After reviewing their charges against other councils, Paul Cunningham, town council clerk and member of the trust, said: "We were one of the most expensive, hence the proposal to reduce charges."

Both Bungay Town Council and Saxmundham Town Council charge £300 for trading days.

Mr Cunningham said the decision is to make the Quay "more attractive".

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In the summer, Stocks Fun Fair cancelled their annual return to the town on the August bank holiday weekend due to the current charges. 

While the trust were asking for £2,000 for the four-day event, the fun fair said they could only afford £1,500.

Jill Bullen, a regular attendee of the fair, offered to donate the remaining £500 for the fair to return but her offer was turned down.

The fair was originally run by the late Bert Stocks at Beccles Carnival and had been returning to the town for more than 60 years.