COURTHOUSE campaigners have lost the fight to keep Trowbridge Magistrates' Court open following an announcement on Monday.
The decision to close the court has been called "a sad day for the town" by outraged campaigners.
New cases will no longer be heard in west Wiltshire but shifted to Chippenham or Salisbury.
Westbury MP Andrew Murrison has fought to keep the court open and labelled the verdict by the Lord Chancellor in London "an utter disgrace".
He said: "Lord Irvine should hang his head in shame for rejecting the well-reasoned case for our local courthouse made in appeal by Wiltshire County Council and by many people concerned locally."
Trowbridge town, district and county councillor Jeff Osborn said: "All the people who signed the petition did their best, we fought a good fight."
Current cases being heard at Trowbridge will not be affected but some will be shifted to Chippenham.
Trowbridge Magistrates' Court will close in September to make way for the new courthouse being built in Salisbury costing between £8 and £10 million which should open in 2005 or 2006.
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