BOOS greeted news at the end of this year's Brockweir Festival that the Forest of Dean District Council had withdrawn grant support for the event.
Festival organiser Peter Chard told an astonished audience that the reason given was that the festival 'did not make a contribution to the community'.
The festival included a fantastic repertoire of first class drama, classical music and jazz, mostly presented in the open air over three sunny days in various settings in the Wyeside village. Three hundred people took picnics along to the final jazz concert.
Mr Chard said he was surprised the council appeared to be putting more and more money into popular music events like the Coleford Festival while cutting support to Brockweir.
He said he realised that events staged at Brockweir like a performance of The Canterbury Tales, opera, classical music and even jazz were not to everyone's taste, but then neither was popular music.
"The amount the council gives us had dwindled anyway – it was around £800," he said.
"For the council to say we don't contribute to the community is somewhat specious. We have good crowds from all over the Forest and, because of our location, across the river to St Arvans, Chepstow and beyond.
"All the money from ticket sales goes back into the community towards the upkeep of the Mackenzie Hall – we are by no means a profit-making concern."
He added: "The festival combines a range of music and culture which must be unique in the south part of the Forest.
"Despite the parsimony of the council there is a determination to carry on next year.
"It is not too late for the council to review its decision and contribute to what has to be one of the annual cultural glories of the Dean and Wye Valley.
"Paradoxically we received indirect help from Monmouthshire since the Chepstow Festival both advertised the Brockweir Festival and sold tickets for us, and Monmouth Festival has advertised us also."
However, he said, there was one saving grace – the Forest council advertised the festival in their tourist publications.