Woman 'in limbo' over £100 camping table fine

A woman who was fined for setting up a camping table in Leicester city centre nine months ago says she is still waiting to be told if she will be prosecuted for refusing to pay it.

Heather Rawling was issued with a £100 penalty by Leicester City Council under rules to prevent anti-social behaviour on Saturday 31 May 2025, while she was campaigning against local public service cuts.

Rawling, a Socialist Party member, said she believed the fine was intended to stifle her political protest, but the council said it was because she put an unauthorised structure on the highway.

The 73-year-old said she would rather go to court than pay, but had not had any contact from the council for months.

"I'm in limbo really," Rawling said. "The council told me I could be prosecuted and get a criminal record but I'm not paying it on principle."

The council said it was reviewing the case and could not comment at this stage.

It previously said the penalty for breaching a public spaces protection order (PSPO) could rise to £1,000 if the matter went to court for prosecution.

Rawling set up the small table, displaying political leaflets and a petition, near the Clock Tower and denies she was causing an obstruction or a nuisance.

"I've been doing this for decades. We've never needed permission and it has never been a problem for anyone," she said.

"We all want to stop anti-social behaviour, but campaigning with a small table is not anti-social behaviour.

"In fact, we believe the council is infringing our democratic rights. The council appears to be refusing to test that in court so it continues to hang over me.

"They should either get a court date or cancel the fine."

In May last year, a month after the PSPO for Leicester was introduced, a number of groups - including unions and political parties - said they feared the the new rules could "constitute an unjustified limit on their democratic rights" because the order banned "unauthorised structures" such as banners, stalls and tables.

Leicester city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby previously told the BBC: "There's absolutely nothing in the PSPO that prevents people from going out and trying to persuade people on political matters - if they do it without a table or gazebo or loud speaker."

A council spokesperson added: "This case is currently under review by our legal team.

"We will be writing to Mrs Rawling shortly with more information.

"In the meantime, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

The authority did confirm it had issued 14 penalties for unauthorised temporary structures in the city centre since April 2025, and that none of the cases had proceeded to prosecution.

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