When you were a child, Mary Racket, did you save up your pocket money to buy something you wanted?

Many children did. And, when they grew up, they grew into thrifty people, only buying something they could afford.

So, why didn’t the proponents of this extravagant monstrosity, who have now “borrowed” some �975,000, start fund-raising 10 years ago?

There is no excuse in saying they have only just come on board.

The past 10 years of fund-raising would have proved their faith in wanting to give what Honiton wants: a community hall suitable for big functions, and meeting rooms for clubs and societies.

What have we got? Five “changing rooms”, the biggest of which is 12 feet by nine feet.

Dedicated fund-raising, and accrued interest, would probably have meant more than enough to buy out the British Legion site which, as Mary says, has built-in, ready to occupy facilities, or enough to buy the freehold of a site.

Instead, what have we got? The biggest millstone, and, if it goes ahead, up to our necks in debt.

Sheila McBrearty

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