CHARITIES are still awaiting payment following a controversial winter festival as a row about money rumbles on.

Bolton Hospice and Boot Out Breast Cancer stood to benefit from the Winter Weekend held at Bolton Arena at the end of last month.

Neither charity has received a payment from the organisers while any profits from the event are finalised.

A spokesman for Bolton Hospice said: “We have spoken to the organisers and they have told us there will be a donation after they have worked out any profit.”

Organiser Farzana Patel confirmed this and said even if there is no profit from the event, she wants to make a donation to both charities.

The event took place on November 24-25 and was mired in controversy at the time as visitors complained of queues, dirty, plastic skating rinks, stalls selling car registration plates and acne cream, and a lack of winter wonder.

Ms Patel said she was meeting with an accountant next week to discuss the profit and loss from the event.

Ms Patel also confirmed the furore around Bolton’s Winter Weekend had led to the closure of her company Cree8ive Design and Cree8ive Events.

While the profits, if any, are being finalised, Paul Wright, owner of PG Bouncy Castle Hire, Widnes, is looking to receive around £6,000 he says he is owed by Ms Patel.

Ms Patel and Mr Wright agree he has been paid £3,000 for his services. Mr Wright argues as per their agreement before the weekend he should receive 70 per cent of ticket sales to his attractions: the snow globe, Santa’s grotto, bouncy castle, soft play area, and slide.

Mr Wright said: “It cost a fortune to get the stuff ready. I have nearly lost my business through it.”

He added that on the Sunday he “refused to inflate the equipment but I felt obligated to do it for the kids.”

Ms Patel showed The Bolton News an undated full and final settlement agreement, signed by Mr Wright, agreeing he would receive £3,000 for “the events of Bolton’s Winter Weekend”.

Ms Patel said: “Most of the activities on the day were contracted out to third parties. PG Bouncy Castles were contracted to provide the Santa’s Grotto and the Snow Globe and bouncy castles.

“Unfortunately, these activities drew a lot of the complaints. As a result and after the event, we sat down with Paul, director of PG Bouncy Castles and renegotiated the fees on the back of a below par performance over the two days.

“We also experienced threatening behaviour on the Sunday morning of the event from Paul where once again he was demanding more money and threatening to walk away with his equipment there were many witness to this.

“We reached an agreement, a full and final settlement was signed and monies paid. Unfortunately, 24 hours later, Paul was in touch again demanding more money than was agreed threatening that he will contact the newspapers if we do not pay.

“Not only is this detrimental to his own business as his activities were the most complained about but we will not cave in to bullying from the likes of PG Bouncy Castles. Thus should serve as a warning for anyone looking to hire them for any future events.”

Ms Patel added she is now considering legal action against PG Bouncy Castle Hire.