SAVE the Magnum campaigners were left fuming this week after having to re-locate their latest meeting due to health and safety reasons.

The group, who will meet tonight (Wednesday, March 12) in the Magnum, were originally meant to be holding a public meeting for Magnum users in the centre’s dance studio.

However, Magnum operators KA Leisure last week decided not to permit the group to gather in the hall as they were concerned about a potentially large attendance. KA Leisure’s health and safety rules state that no more than 30 people should be in the hall at once which prompted the concerns from senior management.

The group were given the offer of using the centre’s theatre but for an increased booking cost of £180.

The meeting is still set to go ahead in the Magnum but campaigners have blasted KA Leisure for the way they’ve handled the situation.

Ian Kerr, speaking on behalf of the group, said: “Myself and Rosemary Byrne met with Craig Sommerville from KA Leisure to discuss the situation regarding the meeting at the Magnum.

“We booked the hall in good faith believing that it was going to go ahead. We’re being realistic in the sense that we believe that there would have been no more than 30 people at the meeting.

“We were then offered the chance to rent out the theatre but what are we going to do with a 300-odd seater theatre? It’s ridiculous.

“The meeting is still going ahead as planned.” A spokesman from KA Leisure said: “KA Leisure had serious concerns because we were not aware that this was going to be a public meeting. This would mean that the dance hall booked for the meeting may have more than the 30 people allowed in the hall at one time.

“We weren’t informed about the number of people that would be attending the meeting, flyers and other forms of notices have been handed out so that leaves it open to speculation.

“It was down to genuine health and safety reasons that we have decided to relocate the group and we have strived to make sure that they are provided with alternative accommodation.

“We were willing to suspend maintenance work being carried out on the theatre to allow them to use that space for their meeting albeit at a higher cost.” The meeting takes place tonight in the Magnum at 7.30pm.