A GROUP which has raised money for and managed Sutton Park's pavilion for 25 years says it is being kept in the dark about its future.

Barry Raye, the secretary of the Sutton Park Pavilion Committee, accused the parish council of forming a "secret society" and not keeping interested parties informed of developments in the park.

The pavilion is currently being extended and refurbished as part of the Park Restoration Project which is nearing completion.

Members of the pavilion committee attended Monday's meeting to find out when the facility would be re-opened and whether its present use by village groups would continue.

Mr Raye said: "No-one seems to know what's going on. It is a secret society kind of job. We are not getting any information whatsoever.

"We have run it for 25 years very successfully and we have bought a lot of equipment for the park and the pavilion.

"It's time someone told us what is happening. We hear all sorts of rumours and no-one is telling us anything."

When the pavilion was built 25 years ago, a set of rules governing its use, was drawn up and Mr Raye said that this included giving autonomy to the committee over the management of the facility and the kitchens.

He added that with spring approaching, people would be using the park more and he wanted to know whether the pavilion would be open for business.

Chairman of the park restoration committee Barbara Smith said that the work did not officially have to be completed until November, but she hoped the pavilion would open again in May.

"We have worked very hard, we have had a lot done and I am very proud of what we have done in the park. I can't see any problem with its future use," she said, adding she was disappointed that people were spreading rumours, when no decision over the rules had been made.

Mr Raye later told the Herald that he had been involved with the management of the pavilion since it was built.

"No interest has been shown whatsoever in the last 25 years by the parish council," he added. "The rules were decided at a public ratepayers meeting and now we hear all sorts of rumours that some groups want to take it over. We are being kept in the dark."

He said that the committee had funded a number of projects and bought much of the play equipment in the park through the sale of refreshments.

The new chairman of the bowling club, which uses the facility to store equipment and make refreshments, also attended the meeting, wanting to know whether it would reopen in time for the new season.

Doug Stone said: "The season is right upon us. The first league match is April 22 and we need to be getting up there and practising beforehand."

He backed up Mr Raye's request for a hand-over date for the pavilion.

Coun Hart said that the idea behind the refurbishment was to encourage its use by other societies and for other functions.

Members have arranged a special meeting for interested parties on April 14, with representatives from several village groups invited to discuss the future use of the pavilion.

Coun Smith said that the pavilion committee would be reformed to reflect the extended use of the pavilion.

She added that members of both the pavilion committee and the bowling club had been involved with the restoration project and that there had been no secrecy involved in the project.