The popular Seaton Eats Boutique will return for four events this year in the new location of Cliff Field Gardens.

The evening food and drink markets will go ahead on May 28, July 2, August 6 and September 3 after Seaton Town Council granted final permission for use of the land at this week's virtual meeting.

But organiser Eleanor Carr questioned why this had been left so late in the day and said her business had been put under "unfair public scrutiny".

She also objected when councillors considered tripling their fee with just three weeks to go until the first event.

Permission to use the new venue of Cliff Field Gardens for Seaton Eats Boutique was requested in 2020 with a fee of £50 per event agreed, but the markets were subsequently cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillors recently considered the request again and asked for more information on toilet provision, litter and how much East Devon District Council would charge for similar events on its own land.

Town clerk Julia Mutlow reported that EDDC's fee would be £156 per event, plus a £40 admin fee, £26 fee for connection to electricity and water and additional charges if extra litter bins were needed.

In light of this, Cllr Marcus Hartnell suggested the town council should charge Seaton Eats Boutique £150 per event and should treat it as a "pilot event" with a view to creating a formal policy for more commercial events in future.

Speaking at the virtual meeting this week, Eleanor Carr said that "being used as a guinea pig for this kind of thing in a public meeting is pretty unfair".

She added that the EDDC charges given to councillors were not the same as those she had been quoted.

"I'd like to ask the council what is your priority when it comes to the community?" she asked.

"Is it about maximum financial gain from commercial operators or is it about supporting local businesses and local employment? Is it about enabling local community events that are run for the community free of charge?

"What's become more apparent with coronavirus is that community activity is vital for resilience and bringing people together."

She argued that her events also brought additional footfall to the town centre and advocated Seaton to the wider area.

Eleanor continued: "It's exceptionally late in the day for you to be setting a new pitch fee. As far as I was concerned the pitch fee had been set and agreed last year.

"How can you budget and plan a business when the goalposts and expenses keep moving? It's just not feasible.

"You've had more than 12 months to consider this pitch fee and I think three weeks before my first event for you to triple the pitch fee under Cllr Hartnell's proposal is jolly unfair."

Cllr Cheryl Wood agreed that it would be unfair to change the fee at such late notice, and suggested keeping it at £50 for this year only to encourage the events to go ahead, which was agreed.

The free events will be held from 4pm on May 28, July 2, August 6 and September 3.

There will be up to eight traders at each event and plenty of space for social distancing. There will also be additional litter bins in place and the nearby public toilets will be open late.