Community centre users hold demo

Angry residents say a valuable commodity would be lost

Dozens of angry residents, including a mother and toddler group, who use a closure-threatened community centre have protested to keep it open.

Christchurch Borough Council is conducting a public consultation looking at the viability of Mudeford Wood Community Centre.

It says the centre is only used for six hours a day during the school holidays.

Dawn Brookes, who demonstrated on Sunday, said: "We are here today to hopefully save our centre."

Ideal location

Mrs Brookes, from Mudeford Wood Community Centre Users and Residents Group, is also chairwoman of the Mudeford Wood playgroup, which incorporates a mother and toddler group.

It has used the centre for 19 years.

She said: "From the playgroup's point of view, in particular, there is no other building in the local area that could accommodate us in size.

"[The centre] would be a valuable commodity that would be lost - it covers from 'babes in arms' to over '80s."

Residents also fear that if the building - which backs onto a woodland and conservation area - were demolished more housing would be erected.

The local authority said the latest budget figures for the centre show a "net expenditure of £127,990 against an income of £49,950".

Earlier, Michael Turvey, the council's chief executive, said the consultation was being carried out to "find out the views of residents and users and no decision would be made until its results".