Town publicans met recently to draw up a battle plan to deal with the influx of travellers, and many are seriously considering shutting up shop until the festival on land owned by Enborne evangelist farmer Nigel Butler is over.

Two years ago, rumours of shoplifting and burglary were widespread – some neighbours even hired private security guards – but police said that the event overall had passed off peacefully.

Newbury’s landlords are fearful that their pubs will be trashed if they turn away travellers attending the Light and Life Christian festival, and the weekend clashes with Reading Festival, when police will be at their most stretched.

At the previous festival, trouble broke out in the Dolphin in Bartholomew Street, with eyewitness accounts of travellers abusing staff and customers. Privately, late night restaurants are also “extremely worried”.

One town centre landlord, who asked not to be named, said: “Nobody wants them here. They’re aggressive, and all sorts of stuff goes missing.”

Neither police or West Berkshire Council have any powers to stop the festival, but the council told traders that it is treating any expected problems “reasonably seriously”, and that “all agencies need to be prepared for it.”

The 25 landlords in Newbury Pubwatch have called for a big police presence, but if that isn’t granted landlords at some of the town’s favourite pubs have indicated they will close.

The event will run from August 26-28.