BUSINESS owners in Marlborough High Street are hoping to be able to work with the Jazz Festival committee in future to come up with a scheme for closing the road after 5pm that suits everyone.

The festival committee decided not to close the High Street at all this year after Wiltshire Council said it could only be implemented from 5pm rather than 10am. The committee warned beforehand that it felt leaving the road open would be a risk to public safety.

During last month's event it was reported that a car narrowly missed hitting a crowd of people, however business owners have said that the Jazz Festival was not to blame.

David Dudley, 72, owner of Dudley’s Jewellers in the High Street, said: “These things happen on a fairly regular basis in the High Street.

"Due to the angle of the parking some cars roll into shopfronts if people don’t apply the handbrake properly.

"It just happens, they are only slight nudges, and if we see a car rolling forwards then we go out and stop it. It isn’t just during the festival.

“It is important for the Jazz Festival committee and the shop owners to work together.

"If the roads were to close at 5pm then our trade wouldn’t be affected and it still wouldn’t cause any danger to the public.

"This year the roads were open and there was no congestion or anything like that. We need to all work together to ensure the future of the High Street.”

However festival organiser Nick Fogg said he didn't think the incident had been caused by a handbrake being left off.

“I understand that the vehicle in question skidded to avoid the crowds," he said.

"It's a hazard to cross New Road at the best of times, let alone when there are hundreds of people milling about.”

While no one was hurt, some business owners believe if the road had been closed at 5pm the incident could have been prevented.

Bob Holman, owner of The Food Gallery, said: “I was very concerned. I asked the police for an incident number but there was nothing reported. It isn’t just the festival though. It happened the next day when a car whose handbrake was left off narrowly missed crushing the driver.

“All we want is a decent day's trade and then the festival can get into full swing. It is an amazing event for the town but it would be better with the later road closure.”