PARENTS were shocked to find that the credit crunch has now reached as far as the North Pole — with Father Christmas charging for the first time in Lampeter.
Town councilors heard at their last meeting that some parents were taken aback at the town's recent Christmas fair.
Santa had been asking for £2 for each child to visit the grotto at the university.
In the past, it has always been free, courtesy of Lampeter Chamber of Trade.
Addressing the town council as a member of the public, Ann Watkins said: "I'd just like to say thanks for the years the town has given us a free Father Christmas who speaks to the children and gives them a present without charging anything."
She added: "This is not a criticism of the Chamber of Trade. I wanted to express thanks that we've had a free Father Christmas.
"This year was a big shock."
Town mayor Kistiah Ramaya said he had heard that quite a few parents were dismayed at the unexpected charge at the recent Christmas fair.
A spokeswoman for Trinity Saint David University said to the Journal: "We organised the gifts for the children of notebooks and pencils, for which we sought to recover the cost.
"Any profit from this activity and the raffle organised by the university goes to charity."
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