The new artistic director of a classical music group has spoken out about Kingston Council’s decision to take away its grant this year.

Thames Concerts is a registered charity that has put on musical performances in the borough for more than 50 years.

The group said it had been snubbed for this year’s concert series from September to February.

But Kingston Council said it was a month late in filling out the forms.

Artistic director Ben Costello said: “It is an absolute blow. I made that very clear to the arts officer and councillors. It has put us in a very challenging position.

“I just could not believe it.

“We have got reserves, but we are going to be heavily reliant on corporate sponsorship and the goodwill of people.

“We will have to cut back on educational and outreach work. It is a pity.”

The decisions were made in the policy and resources committee on February 14 where the grants were discussed.

More than 35 groups and organisations received money, including Creative Youth, which organises the international youth arts festival in the summer.

Other groups who received small injections included Kingston Chinese Association, youth charity Oxygen and the YMCA LSW.

Mr Costello admitted due to changing management and staff shortage the £6,000 application for a Thames Concerts grant had been submitted late, but said the council were aware of this.

He said: “I was given no indication that the grant would be totally withdrawn. It was appalling that they could do that to us.

“We were expecting a slight reduction, but we believed the council would not completely pull the blanket from under us. I was wrong.

“I had just taken this on and this is the first thing that landed on my desk. It is very demoralising, but we hope the council will support us in the future and recognise this was a mistake.”

He also said the council had not taken into consideration the group’s long-standing history entertaining Kingston audiences for years.

Thames Concerts have had shows featuring the likes of the London Mozart Players, the Nash Ensemble and Quatuor Mosaiques.

A spokesman for Kingston Arts (KA) said: "KA is dismayed by the drastic cut in the council’s grant to Thames Concert Society and is indeed concerned for the organisation's very survival. 

"The cut appears to have been the result of what is really a technicality, namely a just-missed deadline for grant applications (owing to a changeover in the leadership of the organisation). 

"It strikes KA as extraordinarily short sighted and non-supportive that no-one in the council should have noticed this slip and at the very least have picked up the phone to check on Thames Concert Society."

A council spokesman said: “Voluntary sector grant applications opened on October 8, 2012, with deadline for this year’s community investment fund on November 30.

“Thames Concerts’ application arrived on 21 December.”

The grants programme has been successfully running for many years with groups well aware of the need to meet both the grants criteria and deadline.

“In the interest of fairness to all applicants it is very important the application deadline is adhered to.”

If you can help Thames Concerts perform their classical series in St Andrew’s Church in Surbiton this year visit thamesconcerts.com.