A FESTIVAL celebrating amateur theatre in Swindon has been cancelled for the first time in more than 70 years.

The Harold Jolliffe One Act Festival, organised by the Swindon and District Theatre Guild since 1947, invites amateur theatre companies to perform a single 20-minute act to compete for awards and the chance to take part in the All England Theatre Festival.

A brief statement on the company website wrote: "It is with regret that for the first time in over 70 years the Swindon and District Theatre Guild has taken the decision to cancel this year’s one act festival, Hj19.

"This is due to the lack of interest shown from companies who have entered in previous years."

Anna Friend, artistic director of the Wiltshire-based Quirky Bird Theatre, which were the overall winners for the last two years, told the Adver: "We've had very good and positive experience in the past.

"The young people found the process and adjudication very useful and supportive so it's really sad to see it's not going on this year, for us it's really disappointing.

"It's a platform to put your name out there, especially if you're a new company. For young performers it's the opportunity to get some professional adjudication, so it isn't just my voice or a teacher from school giving them some feedback, which is really helpful."

The festival also acted as a way for small and amateur performance companies to come together and share their work.

"It's nice to see other people's work, to see what they're doing, but also to have that recognition," added Anna.

"It's a shame but I hope it comes back next year, we'll certainly be entering if it does."

The company this year decided to not take part in the All England Theatre Festival.

Organisers wanted to bring it closer into partnership with the Swindon Fringe Festival, so that winners of the preliminary shows would go on to perform at the event in April.

"I don't know if that was a deterrent for some of companies, it wasn't for us, we still were happy to apply, but maybe some companies felt that wasn't what they were looking for," added Anna.

The HJ festival also moved from its original base in the Swindon Arts Centre, and moved into smaller venues in Royal Wootton Bassett and Pewsey in previous years.

Paula Clifford, chair of the Swindon District Theatre Guild and organiser, told the Adver about some of the financial challenges of running the event and said she hopes it will return in 2020.

"It's so sad for amateur and youth groups who have that opportunity to be on a professional stage, it's incredible, but it has to be viable," she said.

"It's very expensive, we have to pay for a professional adjudicator, and pay for the venue like the Swindon Arts Centre. We were making a loss while we were there.

"We feel like we need a different format for the festival, we have approached businesses for support to be able to return to the centre. If anyone would like to email us we would really like to know what people think."

The festival is named after Swindon’s chief librarian and curator at Swindon Borough Council who oversaw the opening of the country’s first dedicated municipal Arts Centre in 1946.