Marlow Regatta comes under threat from specially built lake at Eton

A special steering committee has been set up to report back on the financial viability of a move.

Regatta secretary Tony Evans said moving the event became a serious possibility as soon as the new Eton course was announced. He said the new venue could pose a threat to the competitive standing of Marlow because another event on the same day could draw the top crews away.

However, veteran Marlow councillor Maurice Oram, who is also a member of the regatta committee, said local sponsors and subscribers would ultimately hold the key to whether the move goes ahead.

Cllr Oram said: "It would be a tremendous shame if there was no regatta in the town on the third weekend in June."

He added: "We have got a dilemma between the vast majority of subscribers who see it as more of a social occasion and the rowing elite who see it as a serious competition."

Elsewhere in the town, spokesmen of some of Marlow's other groups said they were stunned by the possibility of a move.

Roger Wilson, chairman of Marlow Community Association, said: "Part of the heritage of Marlow would be lost by transferring the regatta elsewhere."

Richard Hunt, president of Marlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce and chairman of the Town Centre Forum, said: "It would be very detrimental to the business of the town if we lost the regatta. I am a bit of a traditionalist and I would be sad to see it go."

Peter Diplock, of the Marlow Society, said: "It has got a long historical association with the town. In a huge number of respects, Marlow would lose if the regatta went."

Mr Evans said he believes the event could become bigger at a new location.

"We would hope sponsors will see it as an additional opportunity to get their name across. They would get great exposure by sponsoring a bigger event. I would hope it would attract people from an even wider area," he said.

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