I WRITE in response to the letters from Alison Sinclair and Kenneth Holdsworth.

Haxby is a village and the Memorial Hall building has been an integral and important part of that village for over 130 years.

The hall is in a very poor state of repair and inadequate for the needs of Haxby. That is a fact, but no reason to knock it down. It is also true that, by a farcical regulation, VAT is charged on refurbishments but not on new buildings; however, that would be a very small portion of the estimated cost of £1.7 million. Retention of the front rooms, making an excellent entrance, would also mean that grants could be sought from such as English Heritage - which would not be available for a new building - without negating the possibility of grants from Sport England etc. There is plenty of room at the rear of the present hall to build on a very much larger building and also have a car park.

The position of the hall in the centre of the village and within the conservation area makes it an ideal situation for multiple use, available to all residents. The possible addition of an improved community library would be welcome.

Where would Mr Holdsworth site a new hall? Haxby is already woefully short of open space. Apart from the Ethel Ward playing field, which is already fully used, there are only two other open spaces, neither able to hold a full size football pitch and both entirely surrounded by houses.

Haxby does need a larger hall with more and better facilities and the present hall is in an ideal spot. This is a conservation area, let us conserve and strengthen it.

Muriel Pirozek,

York Road,

Haxby

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, March 23, 2005