WITH reference to the young farmers being told they can’t sell mistletoe and holly at the Saturday market in Ledbury. I can’t believe that the town council or the traffic warden could be so lacking in common sense as to insist that notice be given, permission sought, and a charity market space provided in order for holly and mistletoe to be sold by the young farmers. (And I haven’t mentioned about the need for a full risk assessment).

It isn’t as if we have hoards of market traders turning up selling illicit goods. It all sounds like bureacracy gone mad.

I suggest that the town council apologises to the young farmers for being over-zealous and that the county council instructs its traffic wardens to use more common sense and be less high handed in similar circumstances.

It might also be in order for both councils to make a donation to the charity (St Michael’s Hospice) that was the beneficiary of the young farmers’ efforts.

Only recently there has been talk of there not being enough sellers at Ledbury’s market days, and now the authorities are sending them away.

EDWARD HOGAN
Ledbury