PLANS for a £150,000 multi-sports pavilion in Box should be put on hold until a parish referendum is held, say villagers.

They fear they will be left picking up the tab for the yearly running costs, if the proposed centre is not a success.

They are calling on the parish council to hold a vote to find out if residents want the pavilion or not.

The proposal has proved so contentious that it has split the village.

Brian Nicholas resigned as a parish councillor over the issue. He said: "I have said I will back it if they prove it can work, but no-one has any figures.

"They are just rushing ahead without any proper business plan.

"The sports clubs can hardly talk to each other so how they are going to share a building, I don't know.

"My great concern is that the running costs will end up falling on the parish.

"Only two to three per cent of people in the parish are involved in sport, so why should everyone have to pay for something they wouldn't benefit from?

"Before this goes any further, they should hold a parish referendum to find out what the people of Box think about it. I think that sometimes the council forgets its role is to serve us."

The pavilion would provide facilities for the village football club, cricket club and bowls club.

Parish council chairman, Derek Lovell, said improved changing facilities were badly needed.

He said: "These facilities are needed in the parish.

"We are working with the sports clubs and if the figures show it is feasible, a bid will be made to the Lottery for funding.

"The working group is currently evaluating what the running costs would be."

The pavilion would also have a bar, which has sparked claims that it could threaten the livelihood of the village's pubs.

Ivor Bentley, landlord of The Chequers pub which closed at the end of 2000, said: "This pavilion bar would have to be subsidised by the council, that is the only way it would be able to run.

"It would be unfair competition for the pubs already trying to trade in Box and would threaten their trade."

But Mr Lovell said the bar would only open after sports events, and would have to be self-financing.

He said: "The parish council has insisted that the operating costs must be paid for by the hirers.

"The bar would only be used occasionally, before or after matches, it would not be an on-going public bar.

"We have made it clear that it has to be self-financing."

The working group is due to report back to the parish council shortly.