A TRADER who won a 12-month battle to provide summer-time continental-style open-air eating for customers is fighting for the second time to keep his tables and chairs.

Geoff Hindle, who has been selling ice cream and hot snack from his van outside Darwen Market for 22 years, says he has no choice but to remove them.

He has told his rent is to be increased by 700 per cent.

He fumed: "The new charge is so exorbitant that I have no alternative but to remove the tables and chairs I fought so hard to get.

"I feel like I am being victimised by the market management who have made it very clear they do not like them.

"I am really disgusted by the whole affair. If this is the sort of treatment traders have to put up with, it is no wonder the markets are running at a huge loss and empty stalls cannot be filled.

"I have been forced to stop trading for a day already to try to sort things out." Mr Hindle, of Top O'th Croft, Ewood, has seen his van rent has go up from £15 a week to £53 and has been told he has to pay a further £40 if he wants to use the tables and chairs. The new charges come into force on Monday.

"I expected a token charge for providing the furniture, which is not just for my customers but a free facility for anybody who wants to use it," he said.

"But I am not provided with any water nor electricity and don't know how such a huge rise can be justified."

Mr Hindle hopes to recruit the help of councillors who voted to give him permission for the seating in March in an attempt to have the charge reviewed. A petition is also being organised.

Coun Paul Browne, who has already came to his aid along with Coun James Hirst, described the charges "highway robbery" and vowed to take the matter to Blackburn with Darwen Council's chief executive department.

He said: "Nobody can stand this sort of increases. It is an absolute disgrace.

"To me, it is just sour grapes and this vendetta against a respectable businessman can not be allowed to continue."

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "The rent for the tables and chairs has been assessed on current market rates. The other increase was a rent review."

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