WELL, what a month that was. August in Worcester, usually a time of oppressive, high summer heat and nothing to do, has now undergone a complete makeover. It can never be the same again.

Dog days of August. High pollen, dust and traffic fumes. Families fleeing en masse, an exodus from a truly unholy land.

Not any more. For the Faithful City is now firmly on the map, no longer the poor relation of cities like Gloucester or towns such as Ross-on-Wye, places that have for some time ensured there are plenty of reasons for resident or visitor to linger.

Yes, I'm talking about the very first Worcester Festival, which came to a triumphant close last week. Well, what do you think - was it good or what?

No contest there. So let's hear it for Chris Jaeger and his small, but dedicated team, who have saved Worcester from artistic oblivion. Quite frankly, I don't know how they did it. Up at the crack of dawn most days, working until late into the night.

Don't these people ever feel tired?

So. As I said. Let's hear it for the happy band that put this city before themselves, their home lives, their personal pursuits. Champions all.

But the key to the festival's success was not just the hard work undertaken by this small group of individuals. It also lay in the organisation and general spread of the two-week programme of events.

There was something for everyone. For a start, there was none of the top-heavy elitist nonsense that hamstrings so many festivals. Unlike other places, the usual ragbag of completely unfunny "alternative" comics was nowhere to be seen.

Neither were the endless, childish drumming workshops that bore everyone except the participants.

Instead, the people of Worcester were offered a varied programme from Day One. The parade through the city by the Regimental Band of the Coldstream Guards was a real touch of showman's genius.

Instinctively, Chris Jaeger knew the show had to start with a bang. It did.

The performance at College Hall later that evening was also a smart move. Here, we had a night of good music witnessed by a wide cross-section of the local populace.

Also in attendance were a few of the city's bigwigs eager to give their stamp of approval to the new venture. The hallowed portals of this building in the heart of historic Worcester was the perfect setting.

From then on, the only way was up. And yes, there was indeed literally something for everybody. Dance workshops, city walks, recitals, lunchtime concerts, beer and cider festival, raft races, children's theatre, music suppers, Shakespeare at The Commandery.

The list must have found favour with thousands. And there's another factor, too. The prosperity of Worcester this August - potentially an extremely "dead" month - must have benefited to a fantastic degree.

In fact, it's difficult to imagine anybody having a bad word to say about the extravaganza that has just come to a close. But I wonder... what about all those people who, only a short time ago, fought tooth and nail to prevent, hinder or were just not happy about Chris Jaeger rescuing the Swan Theatre and, by definition, the future of the arts in Worcester?

Where were they? How many of these whingers actually attended events? Yes, that's right, I'm talking to you, all those who spent most of last winter and spring huddled over their PC banging off letters to the Evening News.

What a remarkable collection of the great and the good closed ranks to protect the old Swan status quo in their ultimately doomed campaign to defend the indefensible. Can it really be as recent as last March that Mid Worcestershire Tory MP Peter Luff wrote (You Say, Friday, March 7) on the page opposite:

"Theatre in Worcester is finished now and will remain so under the laughable and inadequate plans that are now being made for the fine theatre that was the Swan."

Of course it is. That's right - and I'm a pickled onion, Peter Luff.

Then there was the Labour Group's dog-in-the-manger piece of petulance whereby members called in the decision to award the theatre contract to Huntingdon Arts. This was merely sabre-rattling.

But I will always believe a select few knew that the only way forward was with Chris Jaeger.

On Thursday, March 13, Steve Quick, ex-arts development officer for Worcester, wrote a reasoned, if slightly bitter, letter to the Evening News wondering whether the council was throwing all its eggs into one basket.

By handing control of the Swan to Huntingdon Arts, they were effectively privatising the Arts. What if the basket was to fall?

Well, no one can predict the future, but this self-same Steve Quick looked happy enough to me as he gave a stunning performance in A Midsummer Night's Dream, staged at The Commandery during the festival.

Not quite all life's a bitch then, perhaps, Steve?

The final lunge of a mortally wounded Swan Board came this summer. On Tuesday, June 24, the Evening News reported claims that ticket sales for the first professional productions at the Swan had been damaged because the old board of directors wanted thousands of pounds for the mailing list.

The venue depended on the list for 70 to 80 per cent of sales, said Chris Jaeger. Gerald Harris, chairman of the board that had previously run the theatre, was reported as saying the 6,000-name list's £3,000 price was reasonable.

Yes. This was for a list that was of no possible use to any body other than the Swan. Worcester people drew their own conclusions...

But despite all this, the Swan started its professional programme on Monday, July 7 with Jane Eyre. Early days to be sure, and ticket sales were lower than expected - but taking into account the obstacles, a more than reasonable beginning.

Hot on the professionals' heels came the amateurs. WODYS' Annie Get Your Gun was a resounding success - proof, if it was needed, that the new team was committed to local theatre.

Then came the Worcester Festival. And if ever there was a promise destined to achieve its ultimate fulfilment, this was it.

Yet the night is still young. With Chris Jaeger at the helm, the possibilities are potentially endless. Who is to say that producing theatre might yet return to the Swan? And what about films, too?

Currently, if you want to see non-mainstream cinema, a trip to The Roses at Tewkesbury is required. The Swan could easily fill that particular void.

Anyway, instead of the predicted arts armageddon, Worcester now has a top music venue, a theatre and festival that could, like the proverbial acorn, yet grow into a mighty oak.

One more thought. In his letter of March 7, Peter Luff - whose wife was a Swan board member - said of the Swan: "Frankly, anyone could run this new, scaled-down pale shadow of a theatre and it wouldn't take a genius (as Mr Phillpott clearly believes Chris Jaeger to be) to do so..."

No, Peter Luff. Wrong again. Judging by the success of the Worcester Festival, I doubt whether even the sky's the limit. For last month, we caught a tantalising glimpse of the future. Even David Barlow must admit that the fireworks finale hardly kept him from his bedtime Wincarnis.

So. Huntingdon, Swan, Festival. The only way is up.