CITY councillors tonight agreed to charge businesses an annual fee of £10 a square foot for outdoor seating on the Market Place.

Previously councillors had approved the principle of charging traders, and tonight the amount was finalised.

Paul Henderson, owner of Henderson's Artisan Bakery in Oatmeal Row, called for the plans to be scrapped and handed councillors a petition of around 1,000 signatures.

He said the proposed fee did not compare fairly with other towns and cities in the region, where traders paid far less.

Nor was it fair that businesses elsewhere in the city enjoyed outdoor seating free of charge, he said.

Conservative leader of the council Matthew Dean said Mr Henderson's figures on charges in other towns were misleading.

But he agreed that traders elsewhere in the city should pay to put tables and chairs on council land.

The charge worked out at £10 a day for Mr Henderson, which Cllr Dean said was modest and very reasonable.

He added that the plans had "overwhelming" support from the rest of the business community.

Councillors agreed it was unfair that traders elsewhere in Salisbury should benefit from free outdoor seating.

They will lobby Wiltshire Council to start charging businesses that use the city's pavements.

Labour councillor Tom Corbin's proposal to charge only £5 per square foot for the first year was defeated by the Conservative majority.

Labour group leader Mike Osment said: "It is reasonable to expect those businesses that do take advantage of that space and the extra revenue it creates to pay something towards that."

As Mr Henderson left the Guildhall he said he did not think the process had been fair or inclusive.

He also accused Cllr Dean of not having shared information about comparative charges with his fellow councillors before the meeting.

The charge will start on January 1.