Car boot sale ban threatens future of football teams

Merton Council has shut the door on a Raynes Park car boot sale in a move its organiser claims will hurt the area's residents and football teams.

Steven Arnold runs the regular event at Prince George Playing Fields and the profit he makes goes towards the upkeep of the land, used by residents and local football clubs.

But he said future use of the fields could now be in jeopardy after he was told by a council officer to cancel all car boot sales under threat of legal action.

"There is nobody we are disturbing - we are a fixture of the local community. We have maintained that land for 10 years, cutting the grass and cleaning up the dog mess," he said.

He claimed he was told the reason for stopping the event was that he had put down 6ft by 8ft of paving and that the council refused to reconsider its decision even after he offered to rip up the offending concrete.

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