HISTORY lovers in Malmesbury and the surrounding area were given a huge boost this week.

Just a few months after the town suffered the major disappointment of losing the BBC History weekend event which had proved so popular, the community came together to organise a replacement festival.

The success of the festival in Malmesbury over the past three years ultimately proved its undoing, with the organisers saying that larger venues were required to cope with the ever increasing number of visitors, resulting in the event being relocated.

Residents took the news graciously on the chin and accepted that it was the right decision.

However, it is great to see that they acted so swiftly to organise a similar event and who is to say it won’t ultimately be more enjoyable?

As they say, bigger isn’t always better.