Musicians snubbed by the St Albans Christmas Market are being offered slots on the city’s Charter Market in the run-up to Christmas.

Local performers have traditonally performed at the Christmas Market in Vintry Garden next to St Albans Cathedral but learned last month that their services would not be required.

Instead the council has accepted an offer from a company called Meraki which is using the Christmas Market to hold a miniature festival to showcase artists who will be appearing at the county showground in Redbourn next summer.

The news infuriated many local performers who felt they had been pushed out to accommodate the promotion of a commercial event. There was also concern about the council’s perceived failure to support local arts events.

But this week Debbie White, St Albans council’s head of community services, sconfirmed that there would be live music on two days in the run-up to Christmas ‘to add to the atmosphere’.

She went on: “This will be at the Clock Tower on Saturday, December 17, and by Ladbrokes in St Peter’s Street on the following Wednesday.

“We have contacted a number of local performers, including some who missed out on performing at the Christmas Market in Vintry Gardens, to see if they want to be involved.

“This will further add to the various, exciting city centre events we have organised for the festive season.”