Don't let these super dance evenings die

It was wonderful to see 200 people in dinner jackets and evening dress enjoying ballroom dancing at its best. The floor was packed with people of all ages and experience enjoying the dancing.

The evening was put on by Eden Nights' who have been holding regular dancing holidays at the Hotel Prince Regent for the past couple of years.

As the Prince Regent ballroom is not big enough to fund the professional cabaret, a gala ball is held on the final night of the holiday at the Pavilion Ocean Room and local dancers are invited to attend.

These holidays are becoming increasingly popular and about 90 people attended the dancing holiday and local people made up the remainder.

Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova are the UK's World Latin finalists and stars of the popular Strictly Come Dancing on the television.

They put on a truly wonderful show and Darren told the audience that they always enjoyed coming to Weymouth as the Ocean Room has one of the best dance floors in the country.

While we were enjoying ourselves, the theatre was hosting the WOW performance of Les Miserables.

This involved a lot of young people and the whole of the theatre and side entrance was buzzing with exorbitance of the young people and their followers.

This is exactly what we want in Weymouth, a buzz, a facility that all ages can enjoy and that will appeal to local people and attract holiday makers.

Ballroom dancing is really becoming very popular again and the council should be looking to attract more of these holidays and international stars. The new replacement room intended to replace the Ocean Room is just not big enough to attract this sort of function.

As we left the Pavilion that evening, the feeling was of euphoria that slowly turned to outrage as we thought these days are numbered.

How dare the council go against the public consultation and let a development company, namely Howard Holdings demolish this wonderful facility to build high rise flats.

J MERCER, Weymouth.