ALRESFORD Town Council has announced it is closing the bar at Arlebury Park.

The chairman Lisa Griffiths announced at its annual general meeting that she was resigning from the role and as a town councillor.

She attacked fellow members: "I am appalled at the lack of respect to our staff by some councillors in the past year, ignoring their advice and disrespecting them by their behaviour. For this reason I am tonight resigning as chairman and as a councillor."

The double news climaxes a stormy period in which the council has been criticised for its financial controls by an auditor, as reported in the Chronicle.

In a statement issued late on Tuesday evening evening, it said: "It is with much sadness that New Alresford Town Council is announcing with immediate effect the closure of the Alresford Recreation Centre, known affectionately to it’s users as the ‘ARC Bar facility’.

"The ARC bar facility has been managed by a number of groups since its inception and had suffered a number of financial failures before coming under the management of the town council.

"New Alresford Town Council has spent considerable time evaluation the ARC Bar’s future and how a possible closure would impact the community; but as local government funding comes under further pressure, they felt unable to continue to operate the facility. "

"New Alresford Town Council is very grateful to each member of staff at the ARC, and appreciates their loyalty through this time of uncertainty."

Cllr Griffiths, who remains a city councillor, paid tribute to long-time town clerk Stevie Kavanagh who has retired.

"This period has not helped our efficiency and communication and caused additional pressures to our office staff. We are very grateful to Julie Cleeve and Frances Simpson who have fought valiantly to rise to the challenges and demands of councillors.

"We have an excellent Locum Clerk in Karen Ross and cannot express loudly enough our appreciation of her attempts at holding us together and guiding us during this time. We are a challenge as a Council – that she would not deny."

"Finally, I wish to advise you that I am disappointed by repeated breaches of confidentiality and breaches of code of conduct. In the past week, following the decision to close the ARC bar and whilst we were ensuring we followed correct procedures and treated our staff in the kindest way possible, I have become aware that 3 councillors released exempt and confidential information to third parties. I am appalled at the lack of respect to our staff by some councillors in the past year, ignoring their advice and disrespecting them by their behaviour. For this reason, I am tonight resigning as chairman and as a councillor.

Anyone with concerns or who has an existing booking at the ARC; call at the office on 01962 732079 or email tclerk@newalresfordtc.org.uk.