I AM sure Twigmarket has done its homework in coming to the decision to build a hotel on the Broome Manor Golf Complex site, and I wish them all the very best in their endeavours (Adver, July 21). However, I do take issue with their statement that the golf course was losing money which was why they were handed a long lease by Swindon Borough Council.

Figures produced by the council prior to the handover, confirmed that Broome Manor Golf generated an operating profit of £60k whereas the catering lost £70k – applying the cross subsidy principle it can be seen that the entire Broome Manor Complex cost the Swindon council tax payer the sum of £10k per year. The council also acknowledged the ‘strong position of golf income at the Manor’ Compare this with Steam which is in receipt of taxpayer support of £210k and has yet to realise a surplus.

The council, assisted by Capita, conducted a review on the catering facilities at Broome Manor which resulted in the council taxpayer shelling out £142k to improve the clubhouse.This immediately prior to the handover to Twigmarket.

Swindon Borough Council prepared new utilisation and income forecasts based on a five year plan; they did not wait to see if the initiatives, which included anticipated income increases of 7 per cent, would reduce the gap of £10k.

Twigmarket got a good deal when SBC made over the lease to them and it is in part due to the golf revenue stream that they are able to seek private funding. The council simply divested themselves of what was a money earning facility and used the review as an opportunity to remove other loss making facilities from the books - very clever tactics.

DES MORGAN Caraway Drive Swindon