The future of the Wincheap boot fair still hangs in the balance, council bosses admitted this week.

The long-running popular gathering of sellers at the park-and-ride site in Canterbury was dropped in March with the outbreak of Covid-19.

Concerns had already been raised in January that it was under threat and now the council has further signalled it could be ditched.

The council says the fair cannot currently resume, despite the easing of lockdown, because the site is now in use on Sundays offering discounted 50p a day parking only, like the other two sites, to help shop workers and boost the city's economy.

While the current closure was sparked by coronavirus distancing and health and safety rules, its future is now dependent on the outcome of tendering negotiations with bus companies, which will include the cost of running services from all three park and ride sites on Sundays.

There has never been a Sunday service from the Wincheap site, which is why the boot fair has taken root.

If a new bus service is introduced, the fair will be sadly missed by the many stall holders and bargain hunters who were already anxious about its future and asking the council what was happening.

"To lose this event would be very upsetting for the hundreds of regular visitors and the traders that operate from there."

But many city centre businesses claim that giving the park and ride site over to the boot fair is deterring their shoppers and hurting trade.

Speaking back in January, boot fair supporter Kate Gill, from Hillside Avenue, said: "The boot fair has been running for more than 20 years and become quite an institution.

"For some, it is a social event, especially with the elderly, as its part of their Sunday routine.

"There are plenty of other car parks in Canterbury and the boot fair is not to blame for the decline in shoppers - that's happening in every town because people now choose to shop online."

Another supporter Jay Lowe added: "To lose this event would be very upsetting for the hundreds of regular visitors and the traders that operate from there."

The authority also says it is not viable to open the Wincheap terminal building, offering the necessary toilets and handwashing facilities, one day a week.

But the new tender for park and ride services will include running one from Wincheap on Sundays, meaning it could no longer host the boot fair.

Council spokesman Rob Davies said: "Longer term, our new park and ride contract will start in April 2021, the tender process having been delayed by coronavirus.

"As part of the process, we have asked bidders to provide a price that includes a Sunday service at all three park and ride sites, rather than just the current two.

"A final decision on this, and the future of the boot fair itself, will be taken when we know what prices have been submitted at the conclusion of tendering."

He added: "If there is another landowner who would like to host the boot fair, they should email david.harte@canterbury.gov.uk."