WINTER Gardens supporters have lost the support of their "mystery benefactor" just weeks before a crunch meeting to determine the concert hall's future.

The setback, revealed at the Friends of the Winter Gardens' AGM, leaves the Winter Gardens Trust facing a race against time to find an alternative way of financing its refurbishment for the concert hall.

And in a further blow, the trust has also admitted it has not been able to provide the detailed financial information and business plans Bournemouth council requires.

On Wednesday, June 8, the council's Cabinet will be asked to decide whether to go ahead with the trust's revamp plans or demolish the concert hall and replace it with two 300-seat venues.

Supporters of the historic hall will appeal to councillors to give them more time to work up their plans but the council has already warned a decision must be made soon.

The trust had said it had an anonymous benefactor who was willing to provide millions of pounds to refurbish the concert hall and possibly enable it to survive without subsidy.

In an attempt to clarify the situation regarding the benefactor, David Marris, member of the trust board, told the AGM: "The person does exist, has local connections and is a member of a very large trust.

"Rod (Kennedy, trust chairman) did secure their agreement to invest with the trust but that agreement was subsequently withdrawn."

The Friends of the Winter Gardens used the AGM to attack Liberal Democrat councillors for reneging on their key manifesto pledge to refurbish the concert hall.

Father Raphael, chairman of the friends, said: "Your committee feels that your present councillors have failed in the main to deliver on their pre-election promises."

And David Hilliam, life president of the trust, criticised the council's preferred option as far too small to be of any use and said this should never have been put forward.

" We need a concert hall in Bournemouth, an iconic place that will attract visitors from abroad. No visitor is going to come to Bournemouth on the strength of a 300-seat hall."

Cllr Anne Rey, who is the council's Winter Gardens champion, said: "Bourne-mouth deserves better than a 300seat concert hall.We're supposed to be the premier resort in the country. If we don't watch out, Poole will be overtaking us."

First published: May 27