Upset for Worthing tea dancers

Nearly 100 people from Worthing, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Horsham, Chichester and even Oxford arrived in town for the weekly afternoon tea dance at the Assembly Hall last Tuesday (September 25) '” but when they got there they found the doors were locked.

After half an hour of banging on the doors, they were told it had been cancelled. Many people travel to Worthing each week just for the dance, some booking hotel rooms to stay over.

John Pawsey, of Shoreham, was one of the angry tea dancers.

He said: "I am furious about it and so was everyone else. Lots of people come to Worthing just for the tea dance and I think what has happened is disgusting. We weren't told last week that this week's dance would be cancelled.

"We were banging on the door for ages and we were just ignored."

Mr Pawsey said even more people than usual had arrived for this week's dance as popular Andrew Varley was due to provide the music.

Cliff Falconer travels from Horsham for the dance.

He said: "I am angry and I feel upset for everyone else. I think someone should be shamed because of this."

Don and Joyce Batchelor, both 79, of St Flora's Road, Littlehampton, have been going to the tea dances for 25 years.

The couple agreed: "Everyone was gobsmacked. There were no notices on the doors telling us it had been cancelled and nobody there to explain what had happened.

"Many people were totally incensed. Some people live on their own and the only company they get is by seeing people at the tea dances."

According to a spokesperson for Worthing theatres, comedian Jimmy Carr was booked to perform at the Assembly Hall. He was due to appear in July, but had to cancel his nationwide tour due to TV commitments. The new date of Tuesday was booked three months ago.

She said: "It was one of those unfortunate situations. The tea dance date was taken off our advance ticket booking page on the website three months ago, but unfortunately most do not book in advance, so we had no idea how many would turn up.

"The music organiser was made aware of the cancellation."

People who complained were given free tickets to the tea dance for a month. A couple who had travelled some distance and booked a hotel for the night were given free box seat tickets for a theatre show.