MUSICIANS from Oxford’s twin Dutch city yesterday revealed they were told not to wear Santa suits at Oxford’s Christmas festivities to avoid offending anyone.

The Feestkapel Decibel band from Leiden, was invited by Oxford City Council to play on Friday, November 28, for the start of the Winter Light Festival, the switch-on of the council’s Christmas lights and reopening of Bonn Square.

The 14-strong band came equipped with Santa suits but said they were then told by a city council official not to don their costumes.

The city’s festivities last year caused controversy when it was revealed the Winter Light Festival run by Oxford Inspires would not feature the word Christmas and was to be “inclusive of all denominations”.

Feestkapel Decibel band member Ton Bakker said: “What I understood was a few people in Oxford didn’t want the link to Christmas because it would upset.

“We were told not to wear them.

“We didn’t make a problem, we wanted to change because everyone had been so supportive.

“It didn’t matter so much to us.”

The band ended up playing in jackets and jeans but the following day donned their Santa suits for Christmas celebrations in Headington — which was not run by the council or Oxford Inspires — and to play at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock.

Their trip was organised on behalf of the council by twinning group Oxford Leiden Link.

John Chipperfield, Link chairman and a former assistant editor of the Oxford Mail, said: “Their normal clothes were not as warm and they were absolutely freezing cold by the time they had finished the whole evening.

“They took it in good heart but they didn’t understand why they shouldn’t do it.

“They were just told ‘please don’t wear your Santa outfits tonight’ and since they were the guest they felt they had to do as they were told.”

Last night a council spokesman said the band must have got the wrong impression – but would not comment on exactly what the council told them.

She added: “Obviously the Christmas lights issue caused a lot of confusion and upset, in part because of incorrect suggestions the council sought to ban Christmas.

“We very much regret it if the Dutch band got the impression they should not wear their Santa costumes.

“This was not the council’s intention, and we would be delighted if they would join us in full Christmas regalia this year.

“We are keen to ensure that Christmas is celebrated well as it was last year in Oxford.”

Sabir Hussain Mirza, chairman of the Muslim Council of Oxford, said: “This is terrible.

“We should have let them play in their Santa costumes.

“I wouldn’t be offended at all and I don’t think anyone else would be.”

City council leader Bob Price complained to the Press Complaints Commission, alleging the Oxford Mail’s story about the downplaying of Christmas for the November 28 events was inaccurate.

This week, the PCC threw out his complaint after he did not respond to our evidence detailing the information that we were supplied by the council.