A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of a popular Christmas event in Whalley after organisers were landed with a huge bill for road diversion signs.

This year's Pickwick Party Night on December 11 will go ahead, but the future of the Dickensian extravaganza, which attracts thousands of people to the village each year, now hangs in the balance.

The event has been plunged into crisis after organisers were told it would cost £520 to close the village's main road for three hours.

Every December the village is transformed into a Dickensian Christmas scene for shoppers, but the Lancashire County Council cash demand could now signal the end of the tourist attraction.

Organisers Whalley Chamber of Trade and Whalley and District Lions were asked to pay more than £800 for the hire and insurance of the road signs and the cost of workmen to install them.

However, the Ribble Valley Council stepped in to offer workers to place the signs and the cost was cut to £520. Coun Joyce Holgate, who is the chamber's chairman, said police advised organisers to close the road after an accident at last year's event.

She said: "We have managed to raise £200 towards the cost, but are still asking businesses to help us with the rest. It is very late in the day to have to raise this money and we have already paid out £1,000 on attractions for the evening.

"All this money has come from the chamber, but there are only so many shops in the village. This year's Pickwick Night will go ahead, but a question mark now hangs over future events. If we have to find this kind of money every year then this could be the end of the line."

Music organs and fire eaters have been booked and shop keepers have hired Victorian costumes for the event at a cost of £1,000. An additional £125 is also needed to pay for a park and ride scheme.

Coun Holgate said the event, now in its 10th year, had been very successful, attracting people from as far away as a Birmingham.

"It looks like it could be the last Pickwick Night. It is a wonderful event and we will be very sad to see it go," she said.

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