Sir, I write as a Tenby Town Council representative of the De Valence Trust but, more importantly, as a resident of Tenby to express my utter dismay at the shockingly poor turnout for last Friday's 'Boogie Nights'. The event, a '70s night, had been advertised extensively through the local press and local radio and numerous publicity flyers were posted throughout the town. Ticket prices were £5 and the bar was open until 2 am on what proved to be a terrific night for those in attendance, marred only by the ridiculously low numbers. The band 'Boogie Nights' were superb and the Steve Briers Disco was as enjoyably professional as it always is, so why the lame response. The De Valence Trust and the new director and her team are working tirelessly to offer the residents of Tenby and South Pembrokeshire a wide and varied programme of events, but this cannot be achieved without public support. I fully understand that, in order to achieve variety across all of the arts, there will occasionally be diversity in the entertainment genre that appeals to a far smaller audience. The De Valence Trust accepts this when considering its forthcoming events as it focuses on the aim of quarterly programmes with 'Something for everyone'. The De Valence Pavilion is a wonderful venue, and indeed an asset to Tenby, with its size and town centre location surely perfect for developing its reputation on the entertainment circuit. In the fiercely competitive tourism industry, Tenby needs a lively arts and entertainments centre in order to attract visitors as well as local people. Those who visit Tenby to attend a De Valence event may also bring business to local pubs, restaurants, takeaways, shops and hotels, so the impact can be considerably more far reaching than any event itself. As we now plan for the future, I urge the Tenby and South Pembrokeshire public to lend your support to forthcoming programmes of events and I also welcome, as I'm sure any De Valence trustee would, your views on how we can successfully take things forward.
Clr. Nicky Lloyd, Tenby.