THE White House pub was never the wisest choice Wiltshire Probation Service could have made as a site for its planned bail hostel.

Now residents will be understandably jubilant about Mrs Margaret Byrne's announcement that she has no intention of selling the pub to the probation service.

The fact remains, however, that a bail hostel is needed and it will have to go somewhere.

Few people are likely to welcome such an establishment in their street, and Wiltshire Probation Service clearly now faces a major headache in finding an alternative site.

If and when it finds one it would do well to behave somewhat more sensitively when announcing its proposals. Why it chose to go public over its White House plan before the owner Mrs Byrne had agreed to sell is something we can only wonder at.

John Taylor, Labour councillor for Central Ward, has made a point of mentioning the restrained manner in which in spite of their anger the residents of his ward have opposed the bail hostel plan. They were wise to show that restraint.

Next time WPS might not be so lucky. A furious planning row based only on possibilities would merely stir up prejudices.