Organisers of the popular annual carnival in Cowley Road, Oxford, are being positive about raising money despite a setback in cash funding from the city council.

As reported in Friday's Oxford Mail, a city council executive said that local businesses in Cowley Road should help fund the carnival because of its increasing size and popularity.

The council will contribute £14,000 to East Oxford Action -- the organisers of the carnival -- but not the full £19,000 asked for.

Carnival coordinator Henrietta Gill said: "We are grateful for the generous grant from Oxford City Council and we have always been well supported with advice and funding from them."

Zoe Brooks, scheme manager for East Oxford Action, said: "We will be talking to the council to find out why we didn't get our full grant request. It is a setback, but I'm convinced we will get the money we need. We will appeal for money from local businesses, but we don't want to turn the carnival into a commercial event as then it wouldn't belong to the local people."

The budget for the event is £135,000. Contributors so far have included Oxford Spires, which has given £50,000, and the Arts Council of England, with £30,000.

Ms Gill added: "I'm sure that we'll be able to raise the remaining £20,000 that is needed."

Hugh Anderson, owner of Hilo's Jamaican Eating House, said: "The carnival is so beautiful and many people are looking forward to it, but I won't be contributing money to the organisation of it because I own a business to make money from the carnival, rather than give money to it."

This year's carnival will take place on Sunday, June 12, with an Earth theme.