We feel you have said what the South Norfolk Conservative Association has avoided mentioning: that this building is not only the headquarters for our MP, it is also the hub of the social life for many residents of Diss and surrounding area.

It is a place where members of the Grasmere Club can meet and enjoy the many activities provided. It caters for all ages, the elderly, wheelchair bound and the child in a pushchair.

Many organisations use the club free of charge, as was intended by the benefactors who gave the building to the association on this understanding. Then there are whist drives and bingo while club members can use the club function room, for parties, wedding receptions etc.

Where will we all go now? Where can we meet friends when the Grasmere Club no longer exists?

To many this is a lifeline in a sometimes lonely life – it is unique, there is nowhere like it. The building will, no doubt, be sold not because of the state of disrepair but for greed.

The club pays towards the maintenance and rent and club volunteers do the gardening for no charge.

The money the association will make will not benefit the people and there will be no advantage to the community just because someone is looking around to scrape in the pennies.

Megan and Dennis O'Connell,
Hall Hills, Diss

I very much regret Mr Herbert is planning the social destruction of Diss and District, South Norfolk and the Waveney Valley

Grasmere serves directly more than 600 users a week, indirectly more than 15,000 users in the area.

Grasmere actually acts as a day and evening care centre for the elderly and disabled members of our community.

It is a fountain of knowledge and experience of which members go to drink.

Grasmere supports many outside bodies, including the provision of bar and catering facilities.

The proposed development will form a monstrous carbuncle of the face of a much loved natural feature. This proposal will destroy some of Europe's best views.

It is oversized; out of scale; and the details are out of proportion.
This proposal gives eco building a bad reputation. Is it surprising that local people do not want eco buildings in the back yard when they see this monstrosity?

The architects, Feilden Mawson, should be ashamed of themselves. It is the worst project I have seen anywhere in Europe.

Adrian Kitchen
Roydon Road, Diss

Knock down the old Conservative Club to build flats? What a good idea!

While we've got the bulldozer in town, let's knock down the Corn Hall.

Then there's those old buildings with the funny carvings on top that John Betjeman was always going on about – knock them down as well.

When we've got a nice flat area all round the Mere we could start again and build a miniature Milton Keynes and maybe change the name from Diss to Dat.

I was only a kid when we used to play in the old hospital building before Grasmere – the Youth Club called The Monkey Club – was used by most of the kids in town.

When Lady Mann gave the building to the Conservative Club she had no intention for it to become flats, houses or anything else but for what it has been used for the last 50 years.
How about this for a controversial idea – leave Diss alone!

Pete Gillings
Diss

Councils regularly reject applications to convert licensed premises to residential use.

I hope the same considerations will apply when they look at the plans to change Grasmere.

It may be a club rather than a pub but it serves the same purpose.
It is a place were people meet socially and enjoy a coffee or some stronger drink.

It is were they go to play snooker or other games. Clubs and associations use it as a meeting place.

It is also an ideal venue for celebrations.

In short it would be a great loss to the community were it to be demolished and replaced with flats – as the South Norfolk Conservative Association intends.

Brian Ager,
Factory Lane, Roydon