COUNCIL chiefs have joined with organisers of a popular festival to reject criticism of the authority's support for a stunt held to launch the event.

Fashion designer Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of the Festival of Thrift, which took place in Darlington last weekend, criticised Darlington Borough Council over the temporary installation of a five-storey cardboard clock tower, installed in the Market Square on Friday (September 25).

Having been built during the day, the tower – designed by artist Olivier Grossetete – was subsequently pulled down that same evening.

Speaking during a festival VIP event, Mr Hemingway accused the council of not doing enough to support the tower's installation and said it should have remained in place throughout the weekend to further promote the festival

But a joint statement released on behalf of Darlington Borough Council and the Festival of Thrift said it was always the plan to take the cardboard structure down on Friday evening.

As well as highlighting the potential risk of vandalism and fire – police are investigating a spate of suspected arson attacks in Darlington – the joint statement also raised the cost implications involved in protecting the cardboard structure.

Set up in 2013 and held at Lingfield Point business park, the Festival of Thrift has grown in stature and popularity each year.

The joint statement from the council and Festival of Thrift said: “The commissioning of the cardboard clock tower was an activity to promote the launch of the festival.

"It was always planned that it would be taken down at about 5.45pm as part of the launch event, so that the public could help dismantle it and the council could arrange for the materials to be recycled.

"Notwithstanding the potential risk of vandalism and fire, it would have been impractical and costly to try and protect a temporary cardboard structure overnight from the elements, or consider moving it to Lingfield Point."

The statement is also at odds with Mr Hemingway's concerns over a perceived lack of public engagement in the launch.

It added: "Hundreds of people took part in this launch event and images of the magnificent structure flooded social media, illustrating that the aim of promoting the festival was a success.

“Darlington Borough Council supported the event as part of its expressed desire to connect the town centre to the festival at Lingfield Point.

"The council provided staff throughout the week as well as on the build day, to help the festival production team with the construction and safe-keeping of the tower.

"When it was toppled as part of the launch event, members of the council’s Street Scene staff were involved in clearing the debris for recycling.”