THE buzz surrounding music has returned in Marlborough after plans for a new music festival were revealed.

‘Marlborough Rising’ is the working title for the music celebration that will welcome musicians from all genres and build on the legacy of the Marlborough Jazz Festival.

Organisers also want to include local performers in the line-up and have announced controversial plans to move the event from July to September.

The Parade has been earmarked for the main location of the festival following difficulty in securing road closures for the High Street.

Robin Pritchard, committee member of Marlborough Arts Association said: “We want to build on the achievement the jazz festival has created over the last 30 years but we want to make a festival that has its own distinctive personality.

“We will harness the considerable talents of the local community and create something that the people of Marlborough will be proud of.

“I was walking down the High Street last year and someone said ‘can you tell me where the jazz festival is?’

“If ever there was a clue that we weren’t creating the right atmosphere, that was it.”

Questioning the proposed change of month, Cllr Peggy Dow said: “We have such a good thing going with the jazz festival in July, I would have thought it would be better to stick with the date everyone already knows about.”

Mr Pritchard confirmed that the month change had not yet been decided.

The festival will become a hub of music, arts, food and drink with live theatre and local stalls.

The decision to cancel future Marlborough Jazz Festivals took place in 2016 after Marlborough Arts Association cited trouble gaining permission for road

closures from Wiltshire Council, a drop in sponsorship levels and a loss of funding for the jazz festival.