MANAGERS at the Brentwood Centre have agreed to pay potentially tens of thousands of pounds to repair grass verges which were devastated by motorists attending a fishing show.
Verges in Elizabeth Road and Bishops Hall Road were wrecked when thousands of anglers converged on the Doddinghurst Road venue for the Brentwood Carp Show on January 26 and 27.
Many of those who attended the show were forced to park in the streets surrounding the international arena after staff decided not to open its overflow car park due to the weather.
Over the past week, councillors and residents alike have been asking whether the Brentwood Leisure Trust (BLT), the not-for-profit organisation that runs the venue, would fix the damage, which it is thought could cost tens of thousands to fix.
The deputy leader of Brentwood Borough Council, Roger Hirst, who also sits on the BLT board, promised to fix the verges quickly.
"The leisure trust and the council had organised a 'park and ride' service from King George's Park to the Brentwood Centre as the over-flow car park was water-logged," he said.
"That was not enough, so the event staff got out to manage the parking, and tow trucks to pull vehicles out of the mud were also arranged.
"The promoter of the event and Brentwood Leisure Trust have accepted responsibility and will work with the council swiftly to make good."
However, according to Bishops Hall estate resident Peter Whyte, discussions must be had to avoid this happening again.
He told to the Gazette: "I know for a fact that I'm not the only resident horrified by the damage caused to the verges and greens around the Brentwood Centre by those attending the Carp Show.
"I witnessed cars stuck up to their axles and churning up the mud with people trying to push them off the verge."
He added: "It was frankly ridiculous."
Mr Whyte believes there should have been better co-operation between the venue's management and traffic enforcement officials to stop cars driving onto the grass.
His view is echoed by Pilgrims Hatch councillor Vicky Davies, who said the green areas resembled the battleground of the Somme during the First World War.
"Cars were parking on every verge and so poorly that buses couldn't get through Elizabeth Road," the Lib Dem politician said.
"Because the verges were so wet, many of the cars parked there had sunk down to the axle so they had to be pulled out by tractors – it was mayhem."
She added: "The question is what risk assessment did the Brentwood Centre do?
"Why could the management not make a decision to shut it on the Sunday and say 'we cannot do it tomorrow' because we cannot use the overflow car park'?
"To do it one day is not funny but to do it two days running is beyond me."
