An agreement has been broken - there are too many hot food stalls at Maidstone’s Christmas market.

The borough council’s licensing committee staged a last minute meeting on Wednesday, December 4 and ruled that the number of hot food stands should be reduced from five to three.

The decision was made after Wimpy, based in Gabriel’s Hill, and Bank Street’s Lunch Basket, Moonlight Cafe and Eden Sandwich Bar, all wrote to the council in opposition.

Despite the ruling there is currently a sausage, crepe, steak and noodle stall trading.

Maidstone Town Centre Management, a go-between for businesses and the local authority, have voiced their disappointment at the move.

Ivan White, a director at TCM, said: “There certainly shouldn’t be four there when it was agreed there would be three.

“The organisers are pushing their luck a little bit, it’s not on.

“One of the reasons why they wanted hot food there was to bring the smell of Christmas, but all I can smell when walking past is onions. I don’t associate that with festivity.”

A spokesman from Maidstone Borough Council said: “We are aware of the situation and we have spoken to the appropriate people to have it removed for tomorrow.”

The Kent Messenger have contacted organisers the Market Square Group but have not been able to get a comment.