Stand up for your Radcliffe facilities (From Bury Times)

Stand up for your Radcliffe facilities

7:40am Thursday 4th February 2010

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ALTHOUGH I live in Bury, I am a keen supporter of the campaign to save the Prestwich Longfield Suite and Radcliffe Civic Suite, both of which are under threat of closure by the controlling group on Bury Council, in order to save a comparatively small amount of the council budget.

In contrast, the council has lavished money on the small Ramsbottom Suite and wants to do the same for the Elizabethan Suite in Bury Town Hall.

I attended the public meeting at Radcliffe Civic Suite on January 14 and expected to see about 200 Radcliffe residents wanting to grill Cllr Bibby the council leader, as we did at Prestwich, despite the meeting being on Bonfire Night.

In the event Cllr Bibby ducked out of his democratic duty and only about 40 people turned up, including MP Ivan Lewis.

Wake up Radcliffe residents. Use it or lose it. I know your Civic Suite has been under-promoted and looks nothing from the outside, but inside it is a really smart venue with a good stage, dance floor and reasonable bar prices.

In contrast with the Longfield, which is busy every night, it seems greatly under-used.

I know that the jive teachers who pack out the Longfield every Monday tried to launch a night in Radcliffe Civic Suite but few locals turned up.

Is it true, the stereotype of couch potatoes sat every night in front of the telly with a take-away and pack of beer?

In two years the library could be closed and moved into the civic, and you will be complaining there is nowhere for weddings, dancing, concerts, playgroups, no youth theatre to keep kids off the streets.

Duncan Fitton Bury

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