Cross Hayes Pre-school is the latest community group to quit Malmesbury Town Hall because it can’t afford to use it.

After 30 years the group is moving to St Mary’s Hall in September – for half the cost of the town hall.

Recently the garden and bridge clubs have relocated to Athelstan House, Martial Arts Leadership moved to St Joseph’s Primary School and the Athelstan Players now use St Mary’s Hall.

A spokesman for Cross Hayes Pre-school said: “In the past three years it has been really difficult. The rent has increased by 50 per cent in that time and we can’t afford it.

“We have tried to negotiate but the town council has been very unapproachable and unfriendly.

“During the building work we had to walk children to an outside toilet and, when we asked for a rent rebate for the lack of facilities, we were told we were lucky to be there.

“It’s hard to talk about it because it makes me so upset.”

The group paid £8,000 a year for town hall use. “St Mary’s Hall is charging us half that. We are now financially viable again,” said the spokesman. “We have 50 parents who are all aware we have effectively been ousted by the town council.”

Audrey Harris of Malmesbury Bridge Club said: “The refurbishment was good and the town hall was more convenient for us, but we were losing money every time we met and Athelstan House charges us less than half what we were paying.

“The town hall also started charging by the hour which meant if we overran slightly we had to pay for the full extra hour.”

Town hall management committee chairman John Lawton, said community groups were already subsidised. “The pre-school received the highest discount of all groups, unfortunately they felt they couldn’t afford it.

“In the past the town hall was paid for by the North Wiltshire District Council. Now there is only one revenue stream and that is the precept (through council tax)