Market traders have been told not to rock the mic when they open their stalls in the town centre.

Council planners gave the green light to the Saturday market move at a meeting on Tuesday night, but restricted the use of music and amplified sound being used by traders unless they get further permission.

Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones (Con) told the meeting: “The market has been generally accepted by traders, and none are here tonight complaining about it.

“It’s got to be something that brings life to the town and increases footfall. It’s an important matter to Herne Bay.

“However one of the things that concerns me is that music could be amplified. I would rather prefer that it was not.”

Cllr Jean Law (Con) agreed and said: “I’m delighted to see they would have to get permission. It had worried me considerably.”

But Cllr Alan Baldock (Lab) disagreed and said the council risked looking overbearing.

He said: “The music is not the thing that worries me most.

“The market move is a balancing act. I think it’s best we use common sense.”

Concerns were also raised about the removal of the brick planters in Mortimer Street and William Street.

Some of the planters were put in place in 1991, but councillors are worried their removal would leave the town centre streets looking bare for six days a week.

Cllr Law wanted it to be a priority when she was a county councillor for Herne Bay, but she lost her seat to UKIP last May.

She said: “We need some soft landscaping.

“These planters have been maintained by volunteers from Herne Bay in Bloom for many years, not the city council.

“It doesn’t look as though keeping planters is secured.”

Meanwhile Cllr Nick Eden-Green (Lib Dem) said: “I’m really unhappy about the fact we are going to strip the place of greenery with no plan to replace it. We should have a sensible scheme in place to have something there.”

Cllr Neil Baker (Con) said he was worried about the demolition, adding: “In Herne Bay you are lucky enough to have the space to put this street furniture out there.

“While it’s not strong enough for me to oppose this, some consideration needs to be given to street furniture afterwards.”

At a meeting last week, the council’s coastal towns manager, Chris West, said there would be room to replace the demolished planters with new flower boxes.