FIRST may I congratulate you on arranging such an informative, well managed and enjoyable meeting at the Forum on Wednesday evening, July 24. The range of speakers was excellent, but why was there none present from the Ambassadors Theatre Group?

Having negotiated contracts previously which involve the need to win the hearts and minds of the ultimate users, I would have been thrilled to have had such an opportunity to promote my business to decision-makers, influencers and passionate theatregoers present.

The issue of financial confidentiality is a red herring. What ATG could have presented was their performance at other regional theatres, their track record on grants received, their work with community-based arts groups and their programming.

One can only draw the conclusion that they do not have a good enough story to put to the Malvern audience against the excellent work done by Nic Lloyd and his team.

It also shows that ATG do not have any real interest in winning this contract. As someone said to me after the meeting, perhaps it would not be too cynical to suggest that ATG are being used as a stalking horse by MHDC to assist in their negotiations with the Malvern Theatres Trust.

Chris Milne, Castlemorton.