I READ with interest the letter you published from Mrs Warburton regarding the recent closure of Club 31 in Verwood.

Although the town council regrets the demise of this privately-owned club, the presence of another footpath is unlikely to have affected its financial viability, and it is more likely to be aligned to the current difficult trading conditions.

Local councils already invest heavily into the community infrastructure of the town, but do not normally support private business with taxpayers’ money.

The Verwood Recreation Ground (referred to in the letter as the Memorial Park) is an open area in the centre of the town held for informal recreation and was bought by public subscription in 1923.

It does not have the formality of ‘municipal gardens’ and therefore a formal footpath would not be in the spirit of the legacy to the fallen of the First World War.

The town council is in the process of improving disabled access to the ground and also to the children's play area. We expect this to be in place by the end of this financial year.

The town council has also recently invested in improving the adjacent footpath (definitive right of way) to the side of the recreation ground to Moorlands Road and Club 31, which provides adequate access (including disabled access).

Providing another footpath would therefore not be a good use of taxpayers’ money.

TONI COOMBS Mayor, Verwood Town Council