I was amused to read Bill Dixon's Orwellian attempt to present the sale of Darlington Arts Centre in a positive light (Echo, Nov 15).

To say that "it gives us the fantastic opportunity to have a nationally recognised arts facility" (when we already have one) and to suggest that it is phenomenal to sell the Arts Centre with all its facilities and replace it with a performance venue is clearly ridiculous.

This is simply a cost cutting and revenue raising exercise and nothing good will come of it.

Geoff Hill, Darlington.