Dear Tony

I write to you with regards to the short paragraph in your News section in Issue 37 October 2007.

I would like to draw your attention to the non-professional conduct of the new management of the old Wayfairer Hotel, now named Antoinette Wimbledon. I have attempted to communicate with the managers Paul Buzasi and Roy Bromley, having left several messages for them to call me. They have not had the common decency to return my call. I feel that your comment in the above edition … “an asset to the local community” may not be justified.

The small swimming pool has been a great asset to this community for at least the past 8 years as local nurseries and swimming instructors of young children, such as  Arun Edem-Lewis and Building Block Nursery (Phil Ashton) have had an arrangement (with Mr Way) to use the facilities. All was well until this new takeover.

The pool has had a few problems with Chlorine balance and the heating of the pool over the past few weeks and on the Thursday of that week Building Block children were turned away, with the management announcing that the pool was now closed. Is this any way to treat the local community, or indeed any customer? There seems to be no explanation as yet and no indication what plans the Hotel have for the pool.

Mr Eden-Lewis offered to pay for the repairs, and even the maintenance, for at least to the end of his student’s term, but this was refused by the new management. None of these regular users were given any warning of the action or a chance to locate alternative facilities. In my view this is an outrageous way for a business to behave, especially when there was an offer to cover the costs while new facilities were located. I for one will not be supporting the Antoinette Hotel and would encourage the local community and Businesses to do the same!

I would ask your readers to please get in touch, if they know of any private pools that are not being utilised with owners that would be open to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Yours sincerely,

Sugi