The organisers of the Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival discovered only last week that the town’s train station will be shut during the weekend of the August event.

Huddersfield Live learned of the planned closure in an email dated June 20 from a bus company asking about replacement bus services.

The station closure on August 5 and 6 was not raised at a meeting on May 9 between organisers and council officials, police, highways, waste management and a representative from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, according to Huddersfield Live events manager Jamie Waters.

Mr Waters said efforts were made to have the station closure postponed but without success.

He said: “Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival is the largest of its kind in the UK and has been on the same date, the first weekend of August for the last 16 years. It immediately became clear that the only viable solution for a rail replacement service was to operate the buses from the bus station.

“While we are naturally disappointed in the closure of the station, we are also confident visitors will still travel to and support the festival and enjoy what the town has to offer.

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He added: “The event has a large following and we are looking forward to seeing everyone over the festival period from August 3-6.”