THE fate of Weymouth Pavilion and the ferry terminal is set to be thrashed out at a series of meetings.

Borough councillors face several options for the future of the site - with redevelopment, refurbishment, privatisation of the Pavilion, tourist information facilities, a Jurassic Coast centre, a casino and housing all possibilities.

Three committees will debate the issues over the next three weeks after a public consultation exercise showed that doing nothing was 'not an option' for the ageing buildings.

Most people surveyed preferred the idea of a total re-development of the site or a full refurbishment and extension of the Pavilion, but they were against a private firm running the complex.

Now Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has to take action as the Pavilion continues to cost money, with the estimated running costs at £580,000 this year.

Councillor Brian Ellis, chairman of the council's management committee, said: "Councillors will have to give this matter very careful consideration.

"As a result of the public consultation to date, we are faced with conflicting pressures. On one hand the public want work to be done on the Pavilion and on the other they want the management to be retained by the council.

"Coupled with this there is the public desire to keep local authority spending down."

He added: "Councillors will therefore need to apply the wisdom of Solomon but we have to get this right to achieve the greatest benefit for all concerned."

The issue will go before the council's community regeneration and culture committee on October 20, the economy and regeneration committee on October 26 and the management committee on November 2.

Councillors will consider redeveloping the ferry terminal with or without the Pavilion, but also discuss alternative management of the Pavilion.

Options will include advertising the site for development and weighing up the response from commercial firms, investigating private management of all or part of the Pavilion, a structural survey of the building, employing theatre consultants, consulting Pavilion users and seeking advice from other councils which have gone through the same process.

Council officers will also hold talks with Condor Ferries bosses, but the authority has already said it would wish to see any redevelopment include a replacement terminal.

The new moves come after studies and consultations on the 44-year-old Pavilion and ferry terminal earlier this year.

The public consultation offered four options.

A total of 142 people wanted to do nothing on the site, and 338 wanted to fully refurbish and extend the Pavilion, which could include a world heritage coast centre, tourist information centre, multi-storey car park and replacement ferry terminal. Another 341 wanted a total redevelopment of the site with a new theatre and leisure complex, facilities outlined in option two and high quality flats. A total of 609 people were against putting the Pavilion out to private ownership and 354 were in favour.

Councillors will make decisions at committee on a rolling programme until next July, when they hope to have plans for the site finalised.