ORGANISERS of the Trowbridge Festival are planning to return to their roots with a summer festival of live music starting next weekend (July 22-24).

Nick Reed, one of the committee members of the Trowbridge Festival, says they have lined up five main concerts in The Village Pump venue behind the Lamb Inn in Trowbridge from Friday to Sunday, plus other concerts, and open mic sessions in the pub’s skittle alley next door.

Mr Reed said: “Everyone will remember the old Village Pump Festival. Originally in Farleigh Hungerford, it switched to Westbury in its latter years before coming to an abrupt end in 2016.

“In 2018 the next generation, including children of previous organisers, kick-started the festival again back at the original site which was a spectacular success.

“This year, the festival organisers are delighted to announce a real return to their roots, back where it all started in the barn at the back of the Lamb Inn, by hosting a weekend of live music.

“Five main concerts are taking place in The Village Pump on the weekend of July 22-24, plus other concerts, and open mic sessions in the pub skittle alley next door."

“This is all in preparation for 2023’s main event, where the festival will make its debut in luscious green fields just outside Trowbridge, on a new purpose-built site.”

This year’s stop-gap weekend line-up will act as a fundraiser for next year’s Trowbridge Festival and includes a mixture of local acts and some of the most exciting national acts.

They include the consistently charting, The Lost Trades, the self-deprecating humour of The Model Folk, and supergroup, the Rob Lear Band.

“The timing couldn’t be better as The Village Pump venue undertook a new committee in 2020, as the old guard gave way for new blood,” Mr Reed said.

“The word got out very quickly as legendary folk musicians such as Martin Simpson, Martin Carthy, and Steve Knightley came from across the UK to perform in the bespoke venue.

“In early June, Wiltshire charity Inner Flame offered a project to fundraise the cleaning and re-decorating of the venue. Meanwhile, the new committee installed a new industry-standard PA and mixing desk.

“With a broad and vibrant programme of events, that builds from an incredibly exciting base of recent events in Trowbridge, there isn’t a more exciting time to be visiting, or being involved in what is happening in the Trowbridge live music scene.”

For more information, visit: thepumptrowbridge.co.uk and trowbridgefestival.co.uk