WINDERMERE'S rampant drug culture will be fuelled if plansfor a massive new nightclub go ahead, claims the town's civictrust.

Not only are the clubs a focus for drug-users, but earlymorning noise from revellers leaving Bowness Bay is causing disturbancefour or five times a week, says the trust.

The height of the racketis between 2am and 3am, Coun Richard Ogden told a discussion meeting ofWindermere and Bowness Civic Trust on Wednesday night.

Trust memberswere horrified by plans to close the Starlite disco and replace it with anew night-club catering for 700 people instead of the current 200.

The owner of the Starlite has refused to reveal exactly where he hopes tosite his new club, but the meeting speculated that once the restaurant hasbeen moved into the old disco area on the upper floor of the Aquariusbuilding on The Glebe, the ground floor shops might be closed to makespace for the giant new nightclub.

The only other existing buildingin Bowness which would be big enough were the old theatre or theWindermere Aquatic building, and both those sites were highly unlikelyagreed the meeting.

Trust members are also calling for a generalclamp-down on exploitation of Bowness Bay and the Glebe.

KathleenSykes said the grassy slopes of the Glebe were a wonderful place forpeople to sit and enjoy views up the lake, but too often the view wasobscured by giant marquees or the ground had been churned to mud byoveruse.

Coun Richard Ogden said South Lakeland District Council,which owns the Glebe, claims it only lets it out to charitableorganisations.

But when the parish council meets SLDC later thismonth a key question will be to ask exactly what SLDC defines as acharitable organisation, said Coun Ogden.

Trust members are alsoworried that behind the scenes plans being drawn up for enhancement of theGlebe should not get out of hand.

Money should go on maintenance andpreservation of existing facilities like the tennis courts, putting greenand pitch and putt course rather than be spent on grandiose improvementschemes, agreed members.

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