A WAR of the floats has broken out after business leaders’ offer to organise next year’s carnival parade was rebuffed by organisers.

As it emerged that insurance was not an issue in having motorised floats, a host of businesses said they were prepared to pay the premium and two business leaders said they would organise the procession.

Blondz owner Shaun Hennessy – who has experience of organising the procession when the carnival was run by the Weymouth Round Table – said he would be happy to reprise that role.

He said he would bring all the businesses who wanted to pay to insure their own floats together while the Weymouth Community Volunteers continued with the rest of the carnival events.

But the volunteers declared they would not welcome that approach and are standing by their decision to hold a 'green' walking procession.

Mr Hennessy said: “I organised the procession for about 15 years and would be happy to do it again.

“I’d be happy to get the floats organised and be encouraging everyone.

“I enjoyed doing it and I’ve still got all the contacts if there’s an insurance company that would cover it.”

Events Insurance Services Ltd quoted the average insurance cost per float to be around £55. This would cover £1million public liability insurance, a figure accepted as adequate by the majority of local authorities.

But by creating a club, a number of floats could come together under an ‘umbrella insurance’ price that would be discounted.

George Afedakis, owner of Greek restaurant Ta Dyo Adelphia, said he would also help organise a lorry-led procession.

He said: “I would be 120 per cent interested in getting everyone together to put it back in place.

“If the floats come back I want the first one.

“The people of Weymouth love them and if they returned to the carnival all my staff would get involved.”

Restaurants, cafés, hotels, schools, shops, clubs and family attractions are among those who would be interested in having floats.

Jan O’Brien, the owner of The Party Shop in Weymouth, who has started a 2,300-signature petition, is now calling for those interested to join her in creating a ‘float club’.

She said 350 people had also supported the campaign on the shop’s website and many petitions were yet to be collected.

She said: “I’d like to thank everyone for their massive support – this campaign started off small and now it has received an overwhelming response.

“By creating a float club we can all help each other – even those ones who cannot afford insurance. There are ways and means to help them.

“With the floats and now with the Victorian Shownight being cancelled Weymouth is going to turn into a ghost town unless we do something about it.”

But carnival committee chairman Sue Follan said the committee would not budge from its decision to rule out motorised floats and appealed for interested parties to contact and work with the volunteers on new ideas for floats.

She said: “It’s about the whole picture and what is expected for 2012 as the carnival is right in the middle of the Olympics.”

Mrs Follan said the town should wait to see what funding support and ideas came forward before pushing for the return of the lorries.

“We want what’s best for Weymouth in 2012,” she said.

Mrs Follan spoke out after the Victorian Shownight, also organised by the Weymouth Community Volunteers, was cancelled this year amid accusations that businesses were too apathetic to take part.

While the carnival committee organisers are unwilling to support lorry-floats those supporting the petition said they would be willing to pay themselves as before.

Emma Vagg, Weymouth Sealife Centre’s marketing co-ordinator, said that having the floats makes the carnival 'that little bit more magical'.

Mark Pollard, licensee of The Rock pub in Abbotsbury Road, said he was 'not fussed about paying for the insurance' because he believed it was the floats which attracted people to the carnival.

Wessex FM morning presenter Steve Bulley has also publicly supported the petition, He said: “Bringing the floats back would be a great opportunity for local companies and organisations to show the diversity of the town in terms of businesses and the arts.”

Lyn Wise, manager of Noah’s Ark Nursery said it was beneficial it was for the children of the town.

“It is a great shame for all the children who used to get involved - we used to spend our summer activities getting the floats ready.

“It was such an enjoyable day with the little ones on the float so I am personally very sad and disappointed that they have gone.”

A number of independent groups have also said they would be happy to pay for their own insurance.

Dave Foster, creator of one of the various Facebook groups campaigning to get the floats back, said: “The carnival used to bring the whole community together and we would spend months getting our float and costumes ready.

“When insurance was concerned we would all contribute to pay the final sum – it wasn’t a problem.”