THIS year’s Off Cut Festival in Winsford took a ‘big step up’ this year with attractive headline acts and the organisers say that they have proven that a big music festival in the town can work.

Off Cut Festival, which was launched for the first time in 2013 as a Folk n’ Ale Festival, has gradually progressed year on year.

Last year the festival expanded into a larger music festival featuring mainly Winsford-based bands and it returned at the weekend boasting a line-up featuring 90’s Liverpool band Space, Lee Southall of The Coral and popular Winsford band The Luka State.

Festival organiser Damon Horrill told the Guardian that the festival took a step up this year and is delighted with the way the community responded.

“It was a big step up this year from last year but I think it was just the right step,” Damon said.

“It couldn’t have gone better, we had limits on numbers for 500 people according to the licensing and it was full day and night, both days. It felt like a real festival when Space performed on Sunday night.

“Space were great. They really made it feel like a festival. A lot of people were sat around and enjoying the music and when Space came on they made everyone get on their feet and really injected some energy into the crowd.

“The amount of local talent on the stage made it a real community event. A lot of the bands have grown up in the town from community projects and they blended in with some big acts really well. “ Tabatha Dudley, clerical officer at Winsford Town Council, went along to the event and was impressed with the atmosphere.

She said: “It was a great event, there was a lot of people there of all different age groups dancing and having a lot of fun.

“It’s the first time I’ve been to it and I thought the venue was really good for it. It was nice being alongside the river.”

Damon also revealed plans to progress the festival even further next year into a multi-stage event and also turn it into a community-owned festival.

The idea is that members of the community can buy shares in the festival and gain up to five per cent interest on their shares.

Damon said: “Next year we want to carry on growing the festival because we’ve proven now that it can work and that we can control it at this level. We want to get the licence and expand it into a multi-stage festival.

“We want it to be a community-owned and funded festival where members of the community can buy shares in the festival and have part ownership in a real community event. I think this year a lot of people were impressed and saw what a huge event this can be so I think people will be excited about the opportunity to be involved in it.”

If you are interested in buying shares in the festival, email Damon at damon@cornerstoneinns.co.uk.