Co-operation the key to saving club

EMOTIONS are running very high in Lyme Regis over the disposal of the Club For Young People in Church Street.

There has been near universal condemnation of the decision by the trustees to put the building up for auction on July 21st.

The recently-formed Lyme Regis Youth Club Action Group, formed to try and persuade the trustees to hand the building over to the town for renovation and re-opening as a youth club, are so incensed by the decision to go to auction that they have called a public meeting at St Michael’s Primary School for Wednesday evening (6pm).

I am told it will be a lively meeting, but it is unlikely that anyone from the much maligned trustees will be present.

A little bit of spice has been added by the fact that two trustees, former mayor Barbara Austin, and Derek Hallett, who have both given sterling service to the organisation, have resigned over the issue.

It has been common knowledge for some time that all was not sweetness and light on the trustees.

And for Barbara to stand down after working so hard for the youth club over a long period of time, you can be assured that things are pretty grim. It is not in Barbara’s nature to walk away from a sinking ship.

There are many questions which need answering and I am sorry I am not able to do so. The trustees choose not to use the columns of the View from Lyme Regis and therefore we don’t receive their press statements. That is their prerogative but the offer remains that we will be more than happy to give their side of the story should they so wish.

One question I would like answered is “Who actually owns the building?” There is talk of any money raised by the sale of the premises going back to the National Association for Clubs for Young People, although I understand that this would only be the case if there was no other site for a new youth club.

If my memory serves me right, the building was purchased with the help of a loan/donation from the Eyre family and a good deal of fundraising. Does that mean that any money raised by its sale should stay in the town, which is what most people want?

If the auction in Plymouth goes ahead, there is still a good chance that the former Church Hall building can continue its life as a centre for young people with involvement from the Woodroffe School.

Marcus Dixon, chief executive of the Lyme Regis Development Trust, is working hard to raise the necessary cash to be in a position to make a realistic bid at the auction.

Then there is the issue of how much it would cost to put the club back into good order. An original survey by Dorset County Council came up with the figure of £250,000. A more detailed look at the building confirmed this figure although the trustees have said it could cost as much as £300,000 with £6,000 annual running costs for the next 20 years.

If these figures are accurate, one can understand why they want to get rid of the building as soon as possible. But there are many who believe a great deal of the renovations could be carried out by voluntary labour and the final bill would be very much less that £250,000. This is certainly the view of the Youth Action Group.

The action group are urging the trustees to step aside and hand the building over to a new trust for £1.

I have no idea whether this is legal or not. Barbara Austin firmly belives there are younger people who could make the club work and that is one of the reason why she has decided to step aside.

I can’t see the rest of the trustees doing likewise, although I am sure there have been many times recently when they must have wondered whether it was all worthwhile.

If it is legally possible, I see no reason why they should not make way for those who think they can save the youth club.

The present trustees have worked hard for many years but sometimes you get to a point where it is impossible to move forward.

I experienced that with the Strawberry Field project and I finally had to admit I was not going to be able to see the project through to completion.

One thing I don’t understand, however, is the apparent reluctance of the trustees to talk to other parties. They maintain they have not refused to meet with MP Oliver Letwin and Marcus Dixon, as alleged this week, but surely there can be no reason why they should not meet the action group and listen to their ideas?

Co-operation is always better than confrontation.

Passing of so many characters

LYME has had its fare share of characters over the years, people whose very presence gives this town its heart.

Inevitably they leave a huge gap when they depart this life.

Recently, we seem to have had a spate of deaths which leaves the town a much poorer place.

The Cobb will probably never be the same again following the passing of Ron Bailey and last week Ronnie Higgs, two boatmen whose characters far exceeded their daily catch.

The esteem in which Ron was held was clearly evident at his funeral service.

To be in Ron Higgs’ company was often side-achingly entertaining. He had a joke for every occasion; in fact he had a string of funny tales for every occasion.

Ron would have made a brilliant stand-up comedian and going on one of his fishing trips was better than any comedy show on TV.

I was particularly saddened also to hear of the death of John Perry. I grew up surrounded by the Perrys and John’s parents, Bill and Freda Perry, were our next door neighbours for many years.

John was a great musician and a brilliant sportsman, excelling in latter years as a member of the Lyme Regis Bowling Club and as one of my boyhood heroes - goalkeeper for Lyme Regis Football Club.

They will all be greatly missed.

www.viewfromonline.co.uk