MUSICIANS looking to develop the music scene in Calne have taken the first steps towards creating a community music hub.

Calne in Tune has been set up as a charity by band member and Jam for Jade founder Simon Hansen, Mayor Howard Marshall and others to kickstart the process of creating a music base for the north of the county.

The charity is aiming to create a facility with rehearsal space and performance areas which musicians of all ages and styles would be able to hire to practise, perform and learn.

The team have also been given support by Unit 10 Studios in Royal Wootton Bassett to look into sound engineering tuition, and Marland Music Management.

But first, they need to find a space to rent or buy.

Town mayor and Calne in Tune vice chairman Howard Marshall, a bass player for band Nostalgia, declared when he began his term in office that music in the town would be one of his priorities.

He said: “We are setting ourselves up as a proper charity but what we need is a premises. We will be applying for grants because there are all kinds of opportunities out there.

"If we need to buy a place we will look at lottery grants but ideally we will find somewhere free to begin with to kick it off while we get it established.

“There’s a good music scene in Calne but what we don’t have is somewhere for budding musicians to hone their skills.

“A hub would provide space for local groups to practise, for inexperienced musicians to experience the equipment they will need, and the difference between playing acoustic and live with amplification.”

The charity will be looking to build on the recent musical success of CalneFest which is only five years old and was created by then Mayor Glenis Ansell to give a platform to budding musicians.

The ambitious committee are even muting the idea of creating a fringe-style festival later in the year in local pubs.

Committee chairman Simon Hansen, who plays percussion for Jim Duggan and The Cool Cat Collective, said: “The idea is to boost music in the town. We want it to be a real go-to place for musicians.

“It’s all in the planning stage at the moment but we want to get the town talking about it. I want people to see how serious we are about involving the youth as well as the older people. It’s not just music studios, it’s a hub for music for anyone to get involved.”

To find out more about Calne in Tune, visit their Facebook page.