Sir, As Chairperson of the Storth Playing Field Committee, I feel that I have a right to reply to both the article in last week's Westmorland Gazette (Gazette, May 21, Fun licence divides village') and the letter from Mr Franklin (Letters, May 21, Licence not good for village').

Firstly, can I point out that it is not a "fun" licence and nor is it a "waterside community centre". The entertainment licence is a necessary legality to enable singing and dancing where the public are invited, either fee paying or not. This enables the school and ballet and dance group to hold events for parents to come along and watch their children in performances.

The committee is holding a hog roast and BBQ following the fete and will also hold a dance that same night, hardly a gin palace', which Patricia Himsworth would have you all think. Without the entertainment licence these events would not be possible. Mr Franklin also suggests that the hall is to be used for "adult entertainment." What does Mr Franklin think the hall is going to be used for - a strip club? I hardly think so.

Mr Franklin also points out that the building is ugly, when in fact we employed the same architect who designed Mr Franklin's house so it would blend in with the surrounding properties. The hall is no bigger now than it was shown on the plans in the beginning, nor has it changed use.

The Heron Hall is not, and has never been, in competition with the Village Hall, and I am sure that letters like Mr Franklin's will only serve to widen any gap within the village.

I do agree though, that the whole thing is very sad, as Mr Franklin ended his letter with. I find it sad that I have to write this letter to defend the Storth Playing Field Committee and the Heron Hall against untrue and misguided statements.

Some of the original objectors to the licence have since come forward to give support in fundraising and I find it a pity that one or two of the minority against the Heron Hall are continuing with this pointless, pathetic feud, despite assurances made by the committee. I trust that this will be an end.

Mrs Vanessa Dutton Chair of The Storth Playing Field Committee Sir, As a member (and bookings' secretary) of the new Heron Hall Committee, I would like to respond to Mr Franklin's letter (Letters, May 21, Licence not good for village')

The committee has worked extremely hard in such a short period of time to complete this project and as parents of children at the nearby school, we are very enthusiastic about this building, which has provided a much-needed hall for our small school to use on a daily basis.

The public entertainment's licence is needed to enable us to provide events which require music, singing and dancing. This could be a school concert or a performance by the local Gospel Choir or children's dance class.

The conditions of the licence allow us to hold one event per month until 11pm and, as bookings' secretary, I will certainly not allow the hall to become an "adult entertainment centre" as Mr Franklin so ludicrously suggested!

Our "ugly" building has been built in keeping with the neighbouring housing estate, in which Mr Franklin himself lives, and even designed by the same architect. It's replaced an old, dilapidated and condemned hut that posed serious health and safety issues and provides much-needed disabled facilities.

We have no intention to disrupt the village hall use, and with the exception of the playgroup (which only moved to the village hall when the old hut became unsafe), none of our user groups have come from there.

Finally, our committee consists of respectable and dedicated volunteers and I feel that they should now receive the recognition they deserve for all their hard work and I resent the disrespect that some of our committee members have encountered.

We all hope that this matter can now be put behind us and we can continue our work in peace.

Mrs Sue Hunter, Storth Sir, In reply to the letter and article in last week's Gazette about The Heron Hall at Storth (Gazette, May 21), I was wondering if your readers could help me find the "Gin Palace" in Storth.

I have lived in the village for the last 18 years and feel I have been missing out.

We are talking about a small, sleepy village, where nothing exciting ever happens, so why the completion of The Heron Hall should bring on violent, loutish behaviour, I shall never know.

Future generations of Storth people should be allowed to enjoy their new hall.

Jane Shaw, Storth