Act named for Ross-on-Wye's Jubilee concert

A Herefordshire town has confirmed the headline act for its free open-air concert to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, known for their jazz and swing music of the Twenties and Thirties, will play at the bandstand in Caroline Symonds Gardens, Ross-on-Wye, on the evening of Saturday, June 4, the head of the town council’s tourism committee Coun Ed O’Driscoll said.

He said the town “had been waiting on the result of a grant application to a major national funder” before confirming the performance. He earlier put the figure for this at £5,000, on top of £2,500 put forward by the town council itself.

Guests will be limited to 500 under the temporary event licence, with tickets allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

The concert forms part of a series of events around the town to mark the occasion, including a concert in St Mary’s Church, followed by the choirs singing a specially composed song around the nearby beacon in Prospect Gardens, and a “high tea” and dance.

The town council is also giving out up to £100 to individual street parties and other community events in the town, “to pay for jelly and bunting”, Coun O’Driscoll added.

Ledbury’s town council confirmed earlier this week it would not be pursuing the option of a public concert over the Jubilee Weekend.