ASHBY de la Zouch Town Council has approved a Festival in the Park event at the Bath Grounds next May.

This is to be combined with an 80th anniversary of VE Day celebration on Sunday, May 4.

Last year, the Bath Grounds attracted a crowd of around 5,000 for the King's Coronation event - and it is hoped this will be as popular.

The council set a provisional budget of £10,000 for the festival - with around £8,000 spent on the 2023 Coronation celebration.

Cllr Chris Smith said: "Last year's Coronation event went down well and was very well attended.

"It would be a free-to-access event on the Bath Grounds and it has been suggested that part of that should have a VE Day theme.

"We need some creative thinking about what we can do if it's a festival rather than a party."

The council is hoping for another big turnout for the event which will also mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Photo: Ashby Nub News

But Cllr Alison Morley felt that £10,000 was a lot of money to be allocated for such an event, considering that a previous item on the agenda had mentioned the same amount to be spent on solar panels to be installed at the Town Council offices at Legion House.

She added: "We need to make this event as inclusive as possible, and make it value for money, it has to incorporate the whole of Ashby."

Councillors were told that there had also been a meeting with the organisers of the Ashby Sport Fun Day Event. 

The organisers have formally requested that the Town Council assumes full responsibility for the Ashby Sport Fun Day event from 2025 and to set a provisional budget of £3,000 for doing so.

A full list of events for next year in Ashby is being put together and will be completed in time for the next scheduled Finance & Events Committee meeting on January 13.