TETBURY’S Tesco store has been hauled over the coals for allowing a funfair to operate from its car park without permission.

Cotswold District Council issued the warning after discovering the chain had allowed Danter’s Fun Fair to hold an event earlier this month, which went against the store’s planning permission.

The supermarket, which is on London Road, gave permission for the Danter’s Fun Fair, also known as The Mop, to be held in its car park from from March 7 to 9, but in doing so breached planning permissions for use of its car park.

A spokesman for Cotswold District Counci said: “We have informed Tesco that the use of their car park for any other purpose does not have planning permission and is therefore unauthorised.

“As the alternative use of the car park for a small fair has now ceased, we do not consider it expedient to serve an enforcement notice.

“In future, however, should Tesco wish to use the premises for activities other than those that are authorised by virtue of the current planning consents, we have told them that they would have the option of making a planning application, either for a permanent change or for a temporary use for a specified period of time.

“This could include specific dates on an annual basis, for example.”

Tesco acknowledged that it had mistakenly breached planning permissions when it allowed the fun air.

A spokesman for Tesco, said: “The small fun fair was very popular with local families and children. The lack of planning permission was an unfortunate oversight, we will ensure this will not happen again.”

The Mop is held annually in the town and normally takes place in the Chipping Car Park, on Chipping Street.

It was relocated to the Tesco site this year after the Tetbury Feoffees, a charitable trust which owns the Chipping car park, decided that the fair was taking too much room, following complaints from residents who live nearby.

Natalie Haines, a spokesman for Tetbury Town Council, said the council had received no complaints from residents about this month’s event and was unaware of any concerns regarding planning permission.

Mop fairs were traditionally hiring events where people would seek employment carrying a mop, or other tool, to illustrate their trade.