OUTRAGED fans have castigated the Forward Swindon company and its latest decision not to show the World Cup on the town centre’s Big Screen as ‘utterly ridiculous’.

Last night people in the town centre were left flabbergasted after Forward Swindon, the organisation that only months ago took over from the New Swindon Company, decided to not to show the games citing safety concerns.

And although Forward Swindon released a statement saying it came to the decision while also ‘working with partners, the BBC the police and inSwindon’ an unnamed source at the BBC said it had completed a deal with ITV specifically to allow towns and cities the opportunity to show all games in public squares.

James Webb, 28, an England fan from Wroughton, said he was disgusted by the decision.

“I am truly shocked by this,” he said. “What are they thinking?

“People don’t use the town centre as it is because nothing ever happens down here, Bristol, Oxford and Cardiff, have loads of activities going on but in Swindon there’s nothing.

“This would give people who don’t use the town centre a chance to realise it does have more to offer than yobs.

“If they had any sense they could make it for kids with footballing events that would avoid any trouble. Not only would they make money, but they could bring the town together and it would be a great family event and re-invigorate this place.”

In reply a spokeswoman from Forward Swindon said ‘the event would not be attractive or welcoming’ and ‘attendance would be low’. Adding: “Unfortunately have come to the decision that we are not able to show the matches due to the potential security risk to people attending the events and to shoppers and visitors to the town centre.”

However one fan said the decision has left the multi-million pound square and big screen ‘pointless’.

Jamie Essery, a call centre manager, from Toothill, said: “There’s never anything useful on the screen anyway, other than the weather but you don’t need that because if you’re watching you know what it’s like.

“They spent millions of taxpayer’s money on this, and I thought the purpose was to show big games – it would be nice if the town square was actually used by townspeople.”

He added that if this was embarrassing for Forward Swindon considering it was the body’s first big decision over the future of the town centre.

Jamie added: “I would say to Forward Swindon that this is not the way forward.”