There is growing anger at the persistent loss of Maidstone's cultural events.

The realisation there will be no Christmas lights switch-on this year, closely followed by a silent Remembrance Day parade has prompted residents to wake up to the vanishing list.

The Maidstone River Festival, which ran from 1980, ceased to be supported by the council in 2013, and made only a moderate appearance this year as "the boat gathering".

The council last year charged entrance for the first time to the annual Proms in The Park event and this month decided to abolish it altogether, unwilling to meet the £13,000 funding shortfall.

The Maidstone Mela, started in 2013 by the late Mayor of Maidstone Morel De Souza, was first exiled from Mote Park to Whatman Park, and then suffered from the loss of council support.

That it was held at all this year was the result of the determination of the organisers Cohesion Plus.

The current Mayor of Maidstone, Dave Naghi, was the first to be inducted into office since 1548 without a Civic Parade and service at All Saints Church.

The council blamed a clash with Prince Harry's Royal Wedding and the Army being deployed overseas.

Now, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of the First Word War, those taking part in the town's Remembrance Parade did so in silence, with no marching band or drum corps - though the council insists the Salvation Army band did play.

The silence was too much for musician Dirk Wickenden, 51, who has lived in Maidstone all his life.

He said: “It just indicates the apathy of our local government.

"We are supposed to be the County Town of Kent.

“If the Army band was not available, the council should have organised a civilian band.”

Mr Wickenden said: “Still with all the other events we’ve lost, it’s a wonder we had a remembrance parade at all.

"In a few years, the barracks will be gone and there will be no military presence. Shame on you.”

In a letter to the KM, the former Mayor of Maidstone, Mike Fitzgerald expressed similar views.

He founded the hugely successful annual World Custard Pie Championships, as well as working for the Royal British Legion.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “When times are tough we should be bringing people together.”

Meanwhile, Mr Wickenden has offered to organise his own civilian marching band for next year’s Remembrance Sunday parade, if the council can’t manage one.

MBC says it was responsible for a one-off Christmas lights event in 2012 and had never allocated an annual budget for a switch-on event.

It also stated it supports The Civic Parade, Armistice Day, Shemomedjamo and the boat gathering as well as allocating £2,500 funding to the Community Mela and £2,500 for music events across the borough.