THE owners of Didcot’s Orchard shopping centre are to review their policy of charging some charities £60 to hold collections there after complaints over the fee.

Property firm Hammerson said it would either scrap the fee or increase the number of charities that are allowed to stage collections free of charge, currently limited to one per month.

The Royal British Legion was charged last year when it held a collection for the Poppy Appeal, as two other charities had already been given permission to hold free collections at the shopping centre.

Ken Wiley, of the Military Vehicle Trust, which raised £850 for the RBL with a display at the centre last year, criticised the charge.

He said: “It seems ridiculous to worry about £60 when we raised a total of £850.

“It also seems a bit odd for a shopping centre to impose a charge when a charity is raising money for such a good cause.”

The trust has not been asked by the RBL to stage an event at the centre this year.

Mr Wiley, of King Alfred Drive, Didcot, said: “We’re concerned that they don’t want us to go ahead because of the charge from the shopping centre.”

However, Keith Hughes, chairman of the Legion’s Didcot branch, said: “The Orchard Centre did ask for a £60 fee last year, which was covered by a private donation.

“But there has been no falling out with the Military Vehicle Trust and they are being invited back next year.

He added: “It does take a lot of organisation to stage these events every year and we simply don’t have the manpower in the area this year.”

Hammerson spokesman Katrin Morgan said: “We have told the RBL that they can come back for free this year and we’re reviewing our policy regarding the number of charitable groups per month that we charge.”

The fee could be scrapped altogether, she said.

Orchard Centre manager Steve Murray, who took over in January, said he was not aware the Legion had been charged for the collection last year.

He said: “I was in the Royal Navy for 23 years so I would like the Legion to be able to use the centre for free.

“We have raised money for Help for Heroes here in the past and I want to do everything I can to support the military.”

Tom Crowther, a spokesman for Asset Space, which co-manages the centre, said: “In that particular month we had already let two bookings come in for free and the Royal British Legion was the third inquiry.

“The charge is a nominal administration charge and the rules still apply.”

didcot@oxfordmail.co.uk