It’s disappointing to read in Thursday’s Echo that “residents” say the 300 seat Jubilee Hall in Poundbury is “not required” and that it will be removed from the Duchy of Cornwall’s agreement with the council.

Who are these “residents” and do they speak for the whole town or just for their neighbourhood in Poundbury ?

I’d like to think the whole town could be involved in a discussion about this sort of community provision, but it seems that a small group in Poundbury has made the decision for us - a 300 seat community hall is too much trouble and they don’t want it.

The hall will now be used for other things and the community will be the poorer for it - how sad.

Dorchester is poorly served with community spaces and none can seat 300 people.

The Corn Exchange is fully booked and the Brownsword Hall only takes 80-100 - so where is there in the county town for larger scale events, meetings and performances?

Yes we have had plans for more than a decade for a 450 seat theatre and performance space at the Maltings in Brewery Square, but that still has to be funded and built.

The Jubilee Hall - Weymouth’s extraordinary Victorian theatre building, rebuilt in Poundbury after the Duchy literally picked up the pieces - could have helped plug the gap until the Maltings is built but now none of us will get to use and benefit from it.

Alastair Nisbet

Mellstock Avenue

Dorchester