Sir, We, the Tenby and District Arts Club Committee, were amazed at the comments of Pembrokeshire County Council's assistant press officer in last week's Observer. When two members of the committee were asked to meet with Greenhill Centre representatives, the possible move from Friday night to Wednesday night was suggested. However, when the full committee met with the Greenhill Centre representatives, this offer was withdrawn. The theatre at Greenhill School was visited by the committee, but this venue was not seen as feasible as the hire charge of £60 every Friday night was too high, the exterior lighting was inadequate and the steps to the entrance would not satisfy the Arts Council Grant Disabled Access requirements. How the assistant press officer can state that the Arts Club was not asked to leave the Centre is amazing and far from reality. From the beginning it was made plain to the Arts Club that the Youth Wing attached to the Main Hall was to be used on Friday nights for a disco. The Youth Wing has the toilet facilities in addition to the kitchen, and with the noise from the disco, this makes the Main Hall unusable by any community group. The proposed provision of one disabled toilet for the use of an audience of up to 60 or more will be clearly inadequate. There is no access to any other toilet facilities. The detailed facts that the Arts Club have had to work with are different from those portrayed by the assistant press officer.
Harry Gardiner, Chairman, Tenby and District Arts Club Committee.