PONTYPOOL'S popular carnival will trial a new format for 2015 that brings the focus of fun into the town centre.

The theme of this year’s event, which takes place on July 11, is ‘Viva Pontypool’, and celebrates the town as a vibrant place to live, work and play.

Many of the existing aspects of the park event will be back including a music and dance stage, children’s rides, street entertainers and a wide selection of stalls, while local businesses will be encouraged to get involved with special offers, events and activities. There will also be a full programme of live entertainment throughout the town and inside the market.

The change of focus was decided by the Pontypool Carnival working group, made up of members of Pontypool Community Council and Torfaen council, using the successful Blaenavon World Heritage Day as a model.

Bryn Parker, the incoming chair of Pontypool Community Council and the Pontypool Carnival Committee, said: “A traditional carnival has been delivered in Pontypool for many years and remains a popular community event in the Pontypool calendar. The new format will keep the event alive with many of the popular aspects of the annual carnival and allow us to use the town’s facilities and venues to focus the programme in a space which should create a vibrant atmosphere. It will also encourage the shops and market traders to get involved in the carnival spirit, providing a more diverse offer for carnival goers and encouraging new visitors to the town.”

Cllr Lewis Jones, deputy leader of Torfaen council, said: “Due to budget cuts across all council services we have a little less money this year. Pontypool Park has always been a large space to fill and ongoing budget pressures has made this task harder year on year. The change of venue will make better use of spaces such as Crane Street and George Street, and help celebrate the considerable investment in the town through the various regeneration and heritage initiatives. It will also assist with local economic prosperity in the town.”

The carnival working group is planning to work with the local community, pubs and venues to put on live music and entertainment during the day and encourage local traders to dress up and decorate their shop windows in the carnival theme.