WATCH: Mixed feelings over Dudley's day of unity

The Dudley CommUNITY Day is offering family fun with music, entertainment, dance, stalls and a procession planned in the town centre.

It follows on from the Funday Sunday held in February to boost trade and present a united front following the EDL protest that took place the same month.

Tomorrow's event will celebrate the town's togetherness, as well as everything that is good about Dudley and the wider borough.

Kay Williams, who runs a fruit and vegetable stall on the market, said she was concerned about road closures but expected the event to boost trade.

"Anything which is trying to bring trade in will be good," she said. "The last few Saturdays have been terrible. The event should give us a boost in trade.

"Hopefully it will bring the town together too, something needs to."

Children's clothes trader Wendy Farmer added: "The last time they did it on a Sunday and I was open then and it really was like the old town.

"It really was thriving with customers. It was lovely to see."

West Midlands police and crime commissioner David Jamieson is backing the event, which is being organised by Dudley Council, organisers of the Black Country Festival and Dudley Borough Inter-faith network.

It comes on the back of three far-right protest in the town this year against plans to build a replacement Dudley Central Mosque off Hall Street.

Watch salesman Tarsem Johal said: "I have missed a few Saturdays' trade through the protests we have had in the town this year. It does hurt trade.

"We are not in a position to say to people whether they should be coming. This is a free speech country."

The event has faced criticism from leader of Dudley Council's UKIP group Paul Brothwood and Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge who branded it 'a complete waste of taxpayers' money' and called for it to be scrapped.

The pair said thousands of pounds being spent to hold it could be more effectively spent in different sectors, including frontline policing and council services.

Fabric trader Hussain Mattey said: "It will affect trade. It will affect trade in a bad way.

"People will be attracted to the event, to the carnival atmosphere, and there will be no-one here shopping. It will be a distraction."

The majority of traders who spoke to the Express & Star said they had not been told about plans for the event.

Javad Hussain, aged 29, said: "I don't know if it will make much of a difference for us. It could help trade, at Christmas these sorts of things help. I don't know about now. I don't know what to expect because we have not been told about it.

"It is an important message. The protests have changed people's opinions of Dudley. On Saturday it will mix people together."

Kevin Moore, 30, added: "It does not really make a difference to me. It won't make much difference in terms of trade.

"It will be nice to have something positive rather than negative all the while. It is good for the town in that sense."

Plans for Saturday include an opening speech from the mayor of Dudley, Councillor Steve Waltho, at around midday on Stone Street and additional speeches from the leader of the council, faith leaders, business leaders and David Jamieson.

Stone Street's entertainment will be complemented by craft stalls and information stands and there will also be fun fair rides, face painting, stilt walkers, jugglers and mascots from the mayor's charity More Mascots Please. The event will run from 10am to 4pm.