What future now for Three Cups?

AS expected, there was plenty of interest in the consultative exhibition on the future of The Three Cups staged at The Pilot Boat last week.

Over 200 people attended the event and we are told that a majority were in favour of the schemes put forward.

No one can deny that it was a very professionally presented exhibition. However, whilst acknowledging this fact, the 'Save The Three Cups Action Group' were far from convinced. Their brief is to press for The Three Cups to be re-opened as an hotel, a proposition which Palmers have dismissed as not being financially viable.

The Save The Three Cups group will now go back to the people of Lyme at another public meeting on October 22nd so that, having seen what Palmers now have in mind, they can decide whether they wish to continuing campaigning for an hotel.

The protest group, excellently led by John Dover, has certainly be successfully in mobilsing local opinion and they are still of the opinion that despite their long consultation process, Palmers are not listening to the wishes of the local populace.

They are asking whether Lyme wants more potential second homes and empty shops. Palmers are adamant that the hotel option is not viable and their professional report and conclusions have been supported by West Dorset District Council.

The protesters say there are potential hoteliers in the wings ready to take on The Three Cups but there’s little or no chance of Palmers selling. It’s not their way.

You can rule out compulsory purchase (it won’t happen) so it is difficult to see what further action can be taken by the group.

If one of the schemes displayed last week becomes a reality, the protesters will have no reason to believe they have failed.

The public outcry over the length of time the Cups has been empty would not have gathered momentum had it not been for their efforts.

I am sure that at next month’s public meeting feelings about this historic building will still be running high and that there will be many who would like the fight to continue. If that is the case, this newspaper will continue to report their on-going campaign.

Like many others who attended the exhibition, I was impressed with what I saw and heard. The “beach hut accommodation” idea is certainly unusual and will no doubt be highly popular if ultimately implemented.

With apartments, town houses, shops and another restaurant with stunning views over Lyme Bay, the overall scheme will demand significant investment and is therefore a long-term commitment from Palmers.

The proposed development will provide a number of jobs, probably as many if not more than re-opening the bulding as an hotel.

Whatever the outcome, I believe the public campaign has been worthwhile and hopefully Palmers will still keep the lines of communication open with those who have fought so passionately to save The Three Cups.

EVENT OF THE WEEK

I SPENT most of last weekend at the Woodmead Halls. At least, it seemed like that.

On Friday, as a member of the halls management committee, I was helping out at an open evening atended by about 60 users and guests, the main thrust being a presentation of improvements made at the halls over the past couple of years and what we plan to do in the future.

It was a pleasant enough occasion and we were pleased to see the Marine Theatre’s new creative director, Phil Whitehead, pop in for a chat and to look at the halls.

The Woodmead Halls are in great demand these days and that was certainly the case for the rest of the weekend. On Saturday I was back on duty with my Cancer Research UK hat on with our volunteers organising a soup and sweet lunch for the first time. We only had about 50 turn up but we managed to make £360 thanks to the gnerosity of those who attended.

Event of the week was definitely the surprise 90th birthday party at the halls on Saturday evening for Cecil Quick, one of Lyme’s best known characters.

Although he looked a bit startled when he stepped into the halls, having been told by daughter Angela that they were calling in on Evelyn Caddy’s birthday party on the way to a family dinner at the Hunters Lodge, Cecil took it all his his stride but was overwhelmed to see so many “friends and neighbours” as he put it.

The esteem in which Cecil is held by his family was more than evident and was emphasised when one of his granddaughters came over and asked me to stress how proud they all are of their grandfather.

I can’t remember when I’ve seen so many local faces in one place at a time. How they kept it a secret from Cecil I will never know, especially in Lyme.

On Sunday evening it was the turn of the sequence dancers to take to the Woodmead Halls’ highly polished floor. And before you asked, no I wasn’t present!

We deserve better

AT Monday’s PACT meeting, after listening to yet more complaints about the appalling state of our public toilets, someone said to me: “Why don’t the district council and town council just get together and sort it out.”

If only that was the way in local government.

What is the point of having PACT meetings if issues like the toilets keep coming up meeting after meeting and nothing gets done?

“Nothing gets done,” was a much used phrase at Monday’s meeting. The town deserves better.

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