I WAS very disturbed and disappointed to read (Bury Times, July 30) about another plan for the Arts and Crafts Centre being mooted at the executive meeting.

Who are these "executives" who have been wondering what to do with the arts and crafts building over the last ten years, and have just agreed to fund it for a further 12 months after yet another threat of closure?

Could they be the same executives who have employed - at some public expense - consultants to do a feasibility study for a culture quarter for Bury? This report identified the arts and crafts building as being crucial to its development, and that has now apparently been adopted.

They have also employed, for the last two years, a culture quarter development officer to "develop" the said quarter, and in addition have further employed consultants to look specifically at a cultural future for the Arts and Crafts Centre. This is a future that a voluntary group of users of the centre believe in and have suggested would be viable.

Have these executives read these reports, and will they act on them? Have they the imagination and courage to give the Bury Arts and Crafts Centre a cultural future?

Please Councillor Boden and your executives - whoever you are - open your eyes and your hearts to see the potential in this building. Put your names to something for the good of the people of Bury and stop shunting the users of the Arts and Crafts Centre "from pillar to post".

Finally, a "One Stop Shop" for the people? Surely, if anywhere, this should be in the town hall . . . because that's where the buck stops!

MRS M. EDYVEAN,

Walmersley Road, Bury.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.