A THREATENED arts centre in Winchester has been given a six-week reprieve by Hampshire County Council boss Ken Thornber.

Campaigners have said that without proper consultation the postponement is effectively meaningless.

Tower Arts Centre is set to be transferred to Kings' School on January 1 and lose its highly-regarded evening shows that have attracted major stars at the start of their careers.

Cllr Thornber was due to rubber stamp a decision to transfer the centre from January 1. However at his decision day meeting yesterday packed with objectors, he decided to put back the decision until September.

He said this would allow more time to talk to the seven staff whose jobs are threatened, provide the business case for Kings' School taking over and consult Winchester county councillors and service users.

Mr Thornber said: "Therefore I am deferring a decision in the interests of more public visibility. If there is a perception there has not been visibility we need to address it."

He added financial pressures had forced the council to cut the arts budget by four per cent and review all the arts centres. Widespread anger greeted the Daily Echo revelation in June that the county council was planning to transfer the centre to the secondary school.

Centre manager John Tellett has been told not to make any bookings beyond Christmas. Leading campaigner Alistair Marsden, of Stanmore Lane, said: "There is no chance of doing any meaningful consultation in the next six weeks. Most people will be on holiday."

Martin Tod, prospective Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, said of the delay: "It is lip service to the idea of consultation. But let's judge it on results."