Proms in the Park will be back in Maidstone next year.

Less than two months after the borough council announced that this year's event would be the last, there has been a change of heart after a white knight stepped in to offer funding.

Cllr Martin Cox, the leader of the council, described the offer as a "great Christmas present for Maidstone."

Weston Homes has offered to sponsor the event to the tune of £20,000 each year for the next five years.

Weston is the house builder who will be re-developing the Springfield Park site to provide a total of 502 apartments in four tower blocks.

Cllr Cox, who personally negotiated the deal with Weston, said: "Many of the owners of their new homes will have a direct view across the river into Whatman Park, where the Proms are held.

"In its marketing, Weston has been promoting the advantages for the new home-owners of living so close to the park, so I suggested to Weston that since their residents would be benefitting, they might like to help support the park - and they were happy to assist."

The details of next year's concert are still to be finalised.

It is likely to remain a ticketed event - as it was for the first time this year - but Cllr Cox said the ticket price would remain "accessible."

The council had earlier cancelled next year's event after hearing that based on attendance figures this summer, it would require ticket prices to be increased from £7 to £20 for the event to break even, despite the council's £5,000 subsidy. It was thought the public would not support the show at such prices.

Last summer's performance was attended by around 900 people - but only the 600 adults paid admission.

Bob Weston, chairman and chief executive officer of Weston Homes, said: “Weston Homes are delighted to be a sponsor of the Proms in the Park event, giving £100,000 over the next five years.

This popular family day out is an event that caters for the whole community each year. It’s important to Weston Homes to be part of local traditions and celebrate family values. We hope the Maidstone community is looking forward to this fantastic summer event and we are excited to be part of it.”

Since October's decision to drop the proms, the council's heritage, culture and leisure committee has already re-allocated the £5,000 funding that was available to support other events.

In the papers supporting October's meeting, council officers has described Whatman Park as "a challenging venue due to a lack of access for temporary toilets and lack of parking."

News of the subsidy comes at a time when there seems to be renewed interest in civic events - after 2018 seemed rather absent of them.

At the same council meeting that Cllr Cox revealed the subsidy, the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Dave Naghi, proposed that a new committee should be established to support civic events. He pointed out the 2018 would see both the 80th anniversary of the start of the Second World War and the 400th anniversary of the Royal grant to Maidstone of the Swan-upping rights on the River Medway. He proposed income from the towns' parking fees should be used to support events to mark the anniversaries.

On a personal note, Cllr Naghi said he was also determined to see the the return of a full Maidstone River Festival - an event with which he has been associated for many years - rather than just the "boat gathering" that took place in 2018.