A street party to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee will not take place in Bicester town centre after a sponsor failed to come forward.

And the new out-of-town venue has sparked bank holiday traffic fears.

Bicester Jubilee Steering Group (BJSG) said it asked all businesses in Sheep Street to get involved in the Big Lunch in June. But no one volunteered to take control and cover costs such as insurance and road closures.

Now Bicester Avenue garden centre has agreed to host the event at its Oxford Road site, just off the A41.

But the venue has been criticised by a resident who says the move will mean traffic chaos with extra Bicester Village shoppers on a busy bank holiday weekend.

The lunch takes place on Sunday, June 3, from 12.30pm after a civic parade in Market Square, and tree planting in Sheep Street.

BJSG chairman Jason Slaymaker said said: “We are delighted as without Bicester Avenue we were only days away from cancelling.”

But David Sherwood, of Turnberry Close, said: “It’s the wrong decision.

“There is already horrendous traffic on bank holidays without adding to it by trying to get another 500 cars to Bicester Avenue.”