ORGANISERS of one of the most popular elements of the Bromyard Folk Festival have been forced to relocate the event.

The festival's craft fair, one of the only free events which takes place in the town centre, has been ordered out of the town's leisure centre.

Centre owners Halo Leisure told festival organiser Annie Jones that building work for the centre's extension would disrupt the main hall and cancelled the booking.

Mrs Jones said: "We've been very shabbily treated. We were told we could use the leisure centre even though the work was going on," although she acknowledged that Halo had attempted to find an alternative venue.

Halo's operations manager Scott Rolfe said: "We had the schedule of work through and it was a lot more invasive than we expected and that's had an impact on the folk festival."

He said no guarantees had been made by the company about the hall's availability.

However, salvation could be just around the corner.

The vicar of St Peter's Church, Rev Graham Sykes, is keen to get involved with the festival and has offered the church as a new host venue.

Mrs Jones said: "I think St Peter's will work quite well. There could be some crafts in the church and some in a marquee extension.

"The craft fair is very important to the festival. It's totally free so local people who don't necessarily want to buy a ticket but who want to be part of the festival can go in there."