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Friday 21st October, 2005

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By MAIRI MACDONALD

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Ramadan Marquee beset with problems

‘We are coping with great difficulty’, says organiser

THE first official celebration of the month-long Muslim festival of Ramadan in Westminster is several thousand pounds in the red with organisers struggling to keep suppliers at bay.
Festival organiser Mostafa Ragab of the Egyptian Association UK said the Ramadan Marquee at Marble Arch was continuing “with great difficulty” and he faces daily negotiations over the running costs of holding the marquee.
Last week the Ramadan Marquee narrowly avoided being cancelled hours before film crews arrived to broadcast a high-profile event worldwide when marquee owner De Bou, threatened to remove it after organisers failed to pay debts of £46,000.
Westminster Council who originally charged the festival’s management company Master Events £60,000 to rent the plot of land agreed to reduce the price by £20,000.
A spokesman for City Hall said the Ramadan Marquee had paid for their licence upfront and a reduction for the rent had been put in place.
He said: “A reduced rate was agreed on the grounds that it was a community-based event and it was felt an appropriate measure to help them get off the ground.”
But Mr Ragab admitted cash-strapped organisers were still struggling to pay suppliers and that running costs were “unimaginable”.
He said: “Everyone is just looking for money. People want to be paid upfront, or they threaten to take the security away and so on. People think they are dealing with Harrods and we have tried telling them we are a community group without lots of cash, organising an event for ordinary people to enjoy.”
He added: “I just could not have imagined the money needed for the project, every day a new thing comes up. The council has enforced a new barrier to go around the tent at more expense to us and now it is getting colder so the heating bill is going up. We are coping with great difficulty.”
The Ramadan Marquee, which is supposed to run for two more weeks, has been backed by residents and Daniel Geller, chairman of the Hyde Park Estate Association suggested financial support could be considered for future events.
He said: “The festival provides a focal point for the Muslim community and it’s extremely important that people can express their culture and religion. This sort of thing is always good as long as it is moderate, respects the community and has a responsible daily finish time, which the Ramadan Marquee does.
“I support anything that promotes diversity but with regards to funding it is all about prioritising and ensuring a fair balance between different groups. But if people support something of this sort and the project benefits the local area funding ought to be considered.
“It certainly should not be dismissed.”

Give power to the people

POST-war, early 1950s Britain was still experiencing food rationing and was a disillusioning place for English gourmands. The war had destroyed the restaurant trade and, with few exceptions, post-war eateries made the worst of a bad situation.
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