Members of the Royston community have said the street food market should run monthly all year round, after the town council backed it to only go ahead in the summer.

The Street Food Heroes event has been popular since in it started in July at Priory Memorial Gardens and sparked a debate on the Royston Reporting Page on Facebook last week – where a poll by Lucy Harvey saw more than 450 people vote for having the event every month, while little more than 20 voted that three months is enough.

Problems with grass damage, bins and impact on other businesses have all been cited as reasons to not hold the market more often.

Kenia Hatfield, who owns September Flowers, said: “This event is run in colder months in other towns and still goes well.”

Pat Bolden said: “Everyone was enjoying themselves at the events and there were people from all generations there.”

Safwaan Choudhury, of Royston Tandoori, said: “We, alongside several other businesses, did not feel the events hampered our business.”

However, Amanda Kersey said: “I think every month is too much – I think people may become complacent.”

Street Food Heroes organiser Ed Fowler said: “I was always aware from the get-go that use of the park was limited due to potential grass damage. Regarding bins, I had ordered bins for every event, and the contractor let us down twice.

“The Royston events are superbly supported, and I’d love to have more than three. I am on the hunt for alternative sites.”

Commenting in a personal capacity, Carol Stanier – who sits on Royston Town Council – said that at the last full council meeting concerns were raised that local businesses had complained about the state of the grass if the events continued over the winter months.

She said: “In retrospect, we should have discussed to move the event elsewhere in town when not possible to do it in the memorial gardens.

“I have since been talking to local businesses with the support of the other Lib Dem town councillors.

“All were either in favour or neutral. In future I will certainly do my best personally to ensure that decisions like this are made in a more consultative fashion, as I am disappointed with how the people and businesses of Royston feel they are losing out now.”

Royston Town Council has been contacted by the Crow for comment, but is yet to respond.