MALVERN'S new Mayor has only been in office for just over a month, but has already been busy with engagements.

Cllr Nick Houghton was elected mayor of Malvern on May 26 and already his diary has started to become busy with engagements.

On June 26, Cllr Houghton attended the Old Con Club in Church Street to open the venue alongside Mark James, a regular favourite at the Malvern Theatres Pantomime.

There was a full day and evening of entertainment as this new business opened in the town.

Then on June 27, the Mayor opened the first Bands in the Park concert for 2021.

These concerts, managed and funded by Malvern Town Council, had to be cancelled in 2020, we are delighted that we can bring them back in 2021.

There have been a few changes made to the programme because the numbers involved in Brass Bands with the need for social distancing require more space than the Malvern bandstand can accommodate.

The Council were very fortunate to have Jazz Alchemy step in at the last minute so that the first concert could still go ahead.

The event was very well attended and future bands scheduled for later in the year are:

Sauce City Jazz 18 July

Lydbrook Band 25 July

Stourport on Severn 1 August

Avonbank Brass Band 8 August

Malvern Chase Brass Band & Poolbrook String Orchestra 15 August

Nailsworth Band 22 August

Red Hot Chilli Peppers Experience 5 September

Gene Genie and the Lemon Squeezers 12 September

Cllr Houghton said: "I was delighted to open the first Bands in the Park concert and it is my hope that we can add more events to the calendar as life starts to return to normal.

"I hope that many of you will come along with chairs and picnics and enjoy Sunday afternoons in Priory Park.

"The Council does listen, so please get in touch via our website if you have feedback for us.

"We cannot promise to solve everything, but we will listen and act where we can."