A festival which cost taxpayers £100,000 has been branded a "disaster" after it suffered from a very low turnout.

The 'Big Weekend', which was held at the cricket ground in Leyton High Road last weekend, had been billed as a free day of fun for all the family with a variety of music acts, stalls and a bar.

But residents say very few people actually turned up because it was poorly advertised and did not involve local groups or associations.

The festival was also called a "staggering waste of money in a time of cuts" by Leyton councillor Bob Sullivan.

The council told the Guardian around 4,000 people attended - which works out at £25 being spent on each visitor to the event.

But residents say that figure is a gross exaggeration.

Steve Williams, chair of the Leyton Community Council, said: "When I went on the Saturday there were clearly more police and security staff there than residents. The attendance was very, very low.

"Several local groups like Leyton Community Action (LCA) were very unhappy about it because they weren't asked to be involved at all.

"We have been asking for increased community involvement in these types of events but the council has gone in the opposite direction.

"The price of the rides for children didn't help either. There was one activity where children could go inside an inflatable ball on the surface of an artificial pond and it cost £5.

"Given that the festival was held in the most deprived part of the borough and in one of the top five per cent of deprived wards in the country it was quite astonishing."

Cllr Sullivan, who said he received many complaints from constituents about the festival, added that council officers had admitted to him that they were disappointed with the turnout.

He said: "It just wasn't promoted very well. I'm a councillor for Leyton and I wasn't even told about it beforehand.

"I took my granddaughter to it and there were no local groups. The attendance was very sparse.

"When you consider the staggering cost it was an absolute disaster for the council. It's simply ridiculous that £100,000 should be spent in this way.

“In June I asked for the council on behalf of the Friends of Brooks Farm group for help running a community day at Skeltons Lane Recreation Ground but I was told there wasn't any money.

“Most community groups could've run an event like this for half the price and would've had double the attendance.”

Resident Jill Hasler, of Brewster Road, said the timing of the event was also misjudged as many Muslim families were still in the process of celebrating Eid.

She said: “Surely the money could have been better spent on projects like improving the facilities at the Cricket Ground and a low cost fun day organised in partnership with local residents and community groups?”

The Guardian is awaiting a comment from the council.

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