THE decision to reject Skipton Rugby Club's bid for National Lottery funding to develop their home at Sandylands is difficult to understand and even harder to take phlegmatically.

To claim that the plan is, in effect, not needed is a major surprise and goes completely against the indications given when the first application was submitted.

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the funding available through the Lottery is drying up and some of the large national projects are taking the lion's share of the cake.

Skipton Rugby Club has been through some difficult times but in recent years there has been a steady improvement in its fortunes, especially off the field. To dismiss the club now as not financially stable is puzzling.

Even more worrying is the statement that the facility is not needed. It would not have been just the rugby club to have benefited from improvements to the site but the general sporting community. Doubtless those players who have to make do with the cramped changing conditions this weekend will have a good laugh at the statement that there is no real need for development.

There are many competing demands for Lottery cash and it is not a bottomless pit. But it is curious that encouraging noises a few months ago about Skipton's bid have suddenly turned into derisive comments about the way the club is run and its need to develop the services it provides to the community.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.