So it seems that some of the shopkeepers in Godalming are trying to force a ban on having festivals in the town on Saturdays!

It seems that they are worried it's having an adverse affect on their trade!

But in a move that would see TV shopping guru Mary Portas suffering from high blood presure, some 18 of Godalming's shop owners have signed a petition calling on the council to ban Saturday festivals.

Are they mad?

Surely at a time when High Streets all over the country are struggling to survive in these dark financial times, doesn't Godalming need all the help in can get, not only to create trade, but build an identity for an area to prevent it from simply becoming a row of charity shops and coffee bars, shouldn't everything that can be done to promote local trade be done -including staging festivals?

Let's face it, not everyone wants to come out on a Sunday for shopping expeditions (of any sort).

I can't blame the local council and Chamber of Commerce from being baffled by the opposition. It was interesting to hear that none of those who signed turned up at the Town Council meeting when the petition was presented.

What do you think? Have your say!