Plans to host a food festival in a city centre park have sparked concerns the spot is becoming “a nightclub”.

But the organisers of Canterbury’s Cooking say festivities at Dane John Gardens next month will be a family-friendly affair.

Zoom Events, which took over the former Canterbury Food Festival, are slated to host top chefs and stand-up comedy sets from September 22-24.

However, its recent licensing bid to roll out up to two three day festivals a year has been met with a frosty reception.

It comes after city council chiefs gave Canterbury Pride organisers the green light to hold four events per year.

Some living inside the grounds claim the move opened the floodgates for a deluge of events, with the park becoming like “a nightclub”.

In an objection letter to Zoom’s proposals, Dane John residents Colin and Virginia Fitch wrote: “The applicant should be made aware of the prestigious and unique nature of this historic space that is surrounded by Grade II listed homes.

“It is not just another empty field to put a Food and Drink festival on.

“This is a green space/public park and not a nightclub.”

In documents lodged on Canterbury City Council’s website, they say the license granted on July 5 to Canterbury Pride organisers for four events “set a precedent for applicants to apply for more than one event”.

Academic Glenn Bowman, who lives on a nearby street, wrote: “We cannot accept such an open-ended licensing for something that will not only dominate the gardens for 11 hours a day for three days, but also likely incapacitate local streets and parking areas for setting up and taking down.”

Slated to take place from September 22 to 24 if allowed, the event is set to include top chefs and stand-up comedy sets in a tent.

The event “will be a mixture of market stalls, with hot food traders and bars for on-sales,” write organisers Zoom Events.

“Premises will also include children's entertainment and a seating area for the consumption of drink on-site,” they add.

The licence will also give permission to serve alcohol and play live and recorded music from 9am until 8pm during events in the council-owned gardens.

Former city councillor Nick Eden-Green also lives in the garden and weighed in, writing “The gardens are public ones.

“They are designed to be open to all. Holding events which are so popular they require restricted entry with security staff searching visitors is not appropriate in a public place.

“We were forced to vacate our property,” due to the noise of the Pride event on June 10 and 11, he added.

“I would ask that all amplified music is controlled and ceases at 18.00.”

The city council’s licensing committee is set to decide on the application at the Guildhall in St Peter’s Place on Wednesday, August 23.