DONORS have pulled their backing of Cheltenham's Tory party over Government plans to legalise gay marriage.
But the town's Conservative Association has dismissed fears it is facing a crisis, saying it is natural for those financing the party to fluctuate with their support.
Borough councillor Andrew Chard, who is chairman of the Cheltenham group, admitted one or two donors had been lost over the issue of same-sex partnerships.
However, he stressed that he believed they would return.
His comments had been made during an interview with The Economist, which centred around David Cameron's relationship with Conservative associations in the UK.
It came following reports an adviser close to the Prime Minister had described members as "swivel-eyed loons".
Mr Chard told the Echo: "Donors leave and donors come back, but what we haven't experienced is a flood of donors going in either direction.
"In my own view, we are not losing donors and we're not gaining donors at any fast rate.
"Whether you approve of gay marriage or not is a matter of conscience and, in five years, time we will be wondering what all the fuss was about.
"It's just an unfortunate issue at the moment, which the press can't seem to leave alone.
"We have members who are not pleased about (gay marriage) and there are some that don't give a damn.
"I believe that reflects the country as a whole.
"I remember when it became legal to be gay and they thought the world was going to fall apart.
"They thought the same when they legalised civil partnerships and nothing happened.
"If it (the bill for gay marriage) goes through, people may think the same again, but in five or 10 years time, we will be thinking 'what was all the fuss about'."
While some donors have pulled out over the controversial issue of legalising gay marriage, Mr Chard emphasised that most are concerned about "fixing the economy". He added: "Gay marriage is one reason (why donors have left) but, quite frankly, what most of our donors are concerned about is getting the economy right.
"If that happens, all these things will fade into distant memory."