I have read your letter article of 21 March regarding the dilemma Whitby Rugby Club now finds itself in as a result of Scarborough Borough Council’s policy of charging extortionate amounts of rent.

The amount of rent initially required represents an increase of more than 180% which in anyone’s terms is a rise of astronomic proportions.

So what can the motive be behind this seemingly unfair charge, the obvious answer is the council want to be rid of Whitby Rugby Club.

I have been associated with the rugby club for many years and have great admiration for all the effort put in by all the volunteers who over the years have built the club, at no expense to the council, and have continued to provide a community facility for all council ratepayers.

On Sunday mornings up to 100 youngsters from age seven and upwards attend coaching and competitions for each relevant age group.

The club fields two senior sides of which one competes in the league structure and there is also football, squash, cricket sports which are all affiliated to the club.

The club also provides and maintains changing rooms for all local football teams.

All these amenities will be lost to the area, so shame on you Scarborough Borough Council.

From: Dr Julian Fester, the Surgery, Egton

I am alarmed at the suggestion Whitby Rugby Club could be made non-viable by Scarborough Borough Council.

I understand the council wishes to increase the rates and rent it charges the rugby club, but this would in turn make the club non-viable.

If this were to happen I feel a great resource would be lost to our community.

At a time when we should be encouraging people to enjoy more sport to ward off the obesity epidemic, encourage their fitness, help with social problems, etc, it seems extremely short-sighted of the borough council to enforce this ruling.

The rugby club provides great sporting opportunities for the young and old.

I have patients as young as seven and some as old as 52 who play rugby regularly as a result of this club and I feel this would be an enormous loss for the town.

I trust a solution can be found to ward off this problem.