ANGRY bosses at the Verwood Hub have strongly hit back at claims comparing it to the sinking Titanic, and say this completely misrepresents the venue and the positive activities taking place there.

At a recent town council meeting, the newly opened community venue was compared by a member of the public to the doomed liner over suggestions that it is struggling to attract enough customers and is running at a loss.

But the chairman of the trustees board at the multi-million pound centre says that any new venue has a period of settling in, developing business and attracting bums on seats and that the Hub is in no danger of sinking.

"Any regular visitor can see how busy the venue has become in recent months and how popular our shows and events have been," said chairman Boyd Mortimer.

"We unfortunately lost our manager only after a short time of opening our doors, on the grounds of ill health. This obviously had an impact on us.

"However with the fantastic support of East Dorset District Council, two officers have been seconded for six months to help us manage over this period and to steer us in an increasingly profitable new business direction.

She added: "We ask people to come and judge us for themselves."

Opened in Match, the Hub includes a hall, conference facilities, a bistro, theatre and cinema, and is one of the biggest community projects ever delivered by the East Dorset council.

The council spent £2.75 million developing and building it before handing it over to the Verwood Hub Comm-unity Centre Association, and the town council has also committed £30,000 towards running costs for 2007/8.

Hub bosses say that a host of exhibitions and events have been planned, and that bookings are on the up.

A new look computerised booking system and programme should also be in place for the New Year, they add.