COUNCILLORS considering options for the Winter Gardens site have highlighted the need for improved leisure facilities and a more varied choice of evening entertainment in the town centre.

Addressing a developing communities and tackling crime scrutiny and review panel, the borough's director of leisure and tourism, Stephen Godsall, said the Winter Gardens had "a lot of potential to assist community safety."

Revealing that work on the site was unlikely to start before 2006, he added: "There is an important role in diverting the night-time economy away from high alcohol consumption to more diverse cultural activities."

Cllr Angela Manton told the panel: "We can't give any guarantees, at this stage. We need to be clear about what feedback we are getting from the community"

She said option four - the creation of a new arts facility - would "give a real diversity to the town centre, taking the emphasise away from binge drinking."

Panel members unanimously backed a motion by Cllr Ron Whittaker highlighting the need for "a much broader choice of evening activity" if the concert hall is not refurbished and for "desperately needed leisure facilities".