THE borough council should be sitting up and taking notice of the claim by theatre producer Charles Vance that entertainers are blacklisting the Wyvern because of parking costs.

Swindon, which wants to be viewed by outsiders as a sophisticated town with culture and ambition, cannot afford to deter people who can help to bring those qualities here. Therefore there are times when it would be reasonable to make special arrangements for actors whose stay at the theatre is longer than a one-night stand.

Understandably there will be a howl of protest from other workers who have to pay dearly to leave their cars in council car parks.

And in view of the complaining entertainers there is a justifiable argument for suggesting that concessionary parking should be available to everybody who has to drive into the town centre to work.

Mr Vance is right to point out that many council employees do not pay to park their cars while they are at work.

So a few specially allocated cheaper parking spaces for a small number theatre folk hardly seems an outrageous idea.