MARLBOROUGH Jazz Festival chairman Nick Fogg has said the committee will be suspending the festival for 2017 after issues with the road closures from this year's event.

After the road closures for this year's Jazz Festival were denied, the festival's committee has announced that the festival will no longer continue in its current form in the interest of public safety.

Whilst the Jazz Festival everyone has come to know will no longer be happening, Nick Fogg and the members of the committee have said that there are plans to hold a different event in the town.

Mr Fogg said: "It has been a process since we were denied the closures this year. Having the road open during the festival puts people in danger. It is a shame that this has happened."

The festival, which had been allowed to close the main road through the town to traffic all day for 20 years, had its all-day closure application rejected by Wiltshire Council this year, with the council suggesting a road closure only from 5pm on Saturday, July 16 instead of from 10am.

The all-day closure was rejected because the council was responding from feedback from local business about the impact an all-day closure had on trade.

“This is a bit of an own goal by Wiltshire Council, people have said what a sad thing it would be if the festival were to stop. It would be irresponsible of us to do otherwise. This year we had a near miss when a van swerved off the highway while trying to avoid the crowds, missing the pedestrians by inches,” added Mr Fogg.

No action was ever taken over the alleged incident, after police said they had not received photos Mr Fogg claimed showed the incident.

Mr Fogg said the trustees of the festival will now be turning their attention to devising new events which are not dependent on the road closures for public safety.

The festival, which has been an important event in the town’s calendar since 1986, is estimated to have brought millions of pounds in business to the town. Drawing crowds of up to 200,000 from all over the country, it is seen not just as a big event for Wiltshire, but for jazz fans worldwide.