The National Trust has been ordered to pay a street trading fee for its activities in Yeovil town centre.

The organisation has for some time been parking a vehicle in Yeovil to offer the public information, literature and the opportunity to become a member of the Trust.

Permission was granted by Yeovil Town Council, but there seems to have been a misunderstanding over the services that can be offered from the mobile promotion al unit.

A council official noticed that membership was being canvassed and found that such a service was classified as street trading, for which a fee was required.

In a letter to the National Trust, assistant town clerk Rod Curtis wrote: "Clearly, there is a difference between a static display - which simply has the purpose of handing out information literature - and the offering of goods or services for sale in the street, which is regarded by the town council as coming under the terms of the street trading provisions of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.

"It is apparent that, in other local authority areas, the National Trust operates under street trading conditions. You are therefore invited to apply for permission to trade in the streets of Yeovil."

In reply, The National Trust fired off two letters - from the membership promotion co-ordinator and Lynn Leary, the person manning the vehicle respectively.

The co-ordinator thanked the council for their support, but added: "All letters sent to your council asking for permission to park the Land Rover in Yeovil have mentioned that members might be enrolled as well.

"Lynn has not carried any merchandise on the vehicle. She has provided an invaluable public relations service handing out free leaflets, maps etc. When signing up new members, no cash has changed hands. She has an amazing 100 per cent record of payment by direct debit."

The co-ordinator also said the trust was not charged when parking its vehicles at various locations in Dorset and Wiltshire.

In her letter to the council, Lynn Leary said: "You sent an application form for street trading. Under the section fees there is a charitable rate and the council has the discretion to reduce or waive the fee. Please consider allowing me to continue my visits without charge, it really does help us."

Yeovil Town Council's Planning Committee recently met to discuss the matter. It was decided that the Trust was welcome to continue its activities in the town but the application for the waiving of fees was turned down.

Members felt that they could not allow the Trust to operate free of charge since many other registered charities had to pay the full fee for their activities.

It was agreed to make a charge of £10 for each weekday and £20 for a Saturday.