A POPULAR chocolate festival might not go ahead because it was too busy last year, people fear.

Conservative councillors claim Bury Council has blocked plans for this year’s Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival on health and safety grounds.

UPDATE: Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival will go ahead as planned this year, after rumours it could have been blocked

The event last year, which is held in Bridge Street, brought an estimated 30,000 visitors to Ramsbottom town centre.

Cllr Rod Hodkinson said: “After a great deal of hard work and dedication by event organisers, plans to hold the festival have been stopped in their tracks by the council on health and safety grounds due to overcrowding last year.

“Ramsbottom has quite rightly become the top ‘foodie’ town in the North West over the last few years.

“We have a tremendous number of good restaurants, gastro pubs, tea rooms and independent shops selling a whole range of food.

“We are so lucky that we have such a dedicated team of business owners and traders who work hard each year to put on this event.”

Cllr Hodkinson said he, along with fellow councillor Ian Bevan, has arranged an “urgent high-level meeting” at Bury Town Hall in a last-ditch effort to ensure a venue can be secured for the festival this year.

Alternative sites suggested, including Ramsbottom Cricket Club and Ramsbottom Football Club have been ruled out by both clubs, and other sites in the town centre have also been ruled out by the council, Cllr Hodkinson added.

Bury Council has been approached for comment.