SENIOR Ilfracombe councillors say one of the town's youth facilities is not being used by enough young people.

Members of Ilfracombe Town Council and North Devon Council say the Lantern Centre has never taken the place of the town's former youth centre, Ebberley House.

They are surprised it almost breaks even.

The Lantern Youth and Community Centre on the High Street is owned and operated by Devon County Council and has the remit of providing a facility for youth and community use.

The centre, a former church, was opened in the early 1990s following the closure of Ebberley House in 1985.

Last year the Lantern cost more than £40,000 to run but took an income of more than £36,000.

It hosted 649 community events during the year and was booked out on average for around five hours per day.

But Ilfracombe Mayor Rod Donovan said the building was not being used by enough young people.

He said: "I am surprised the Lantern almost breaks even.

"Ilfracombe Town Council is concerned that the original purpose of this building was as a youth facility, an area that receives scant recognition in the current use of the building.

"As a council we will need to think long and hard before offering to take responsibility for the Lantern and would need to ensure more use than at present."

Ilfracombe District Councillor Mike Edmunds agreed, saying: "The Lantern was supposed to take the place of Ebberley House which was a proper youth centre with a drop-in coffee bar and disco every Friday night, along with a hall that could be used for five-a-side football and other games.

"In other words, a place where young people could let their hair down and enjoy themselves.

"The Lantern has never taken the place of Ebberley House. It is more of a community hall than a drop-in centre for young people."

District Councillor Paul Yabsley said the Lantern was a valuable and well-used asset but that Devon Youth Service's remit differed significantly from the view of the community.

He said: "It is widely felt that simple youth clubs, similar to those run by Ilfracombe Round Table a few years ago, are needed.

"The Real McCaf (in Wilder Road) goes some way to it but is seen by many young people as 'not the place to be'."

Devon County Council spokesman Mike Bomford said Ilfracombe had two well attended youth clubs each week.

He said: "On Friday evenings the youth service runs the Real McCaf and Brookdale Church run an open youth club, both of which attract significant numbers.

"We are currently looking at options for the Lantern and are in discussions with the district and town councils on a range of plans as part of the neighbourhood-level community budgets project.

"Community budgets are about giving people more power over local services and, as such, Ilfracombe will have greater decision-making powers about services run in their local communities."

"[Ebberley House] was a place where young people could let their hair down and enjoy themselves."