RE Dr Michael Murphy, Guardian letter, October 23.

Youth Zones are much more than just buildings.

They represent an investment in young people, demonstrating a belief that they deserve the best opportunities we can offer them. With more than 20 activities, each session for just 50p, they do as you rightly say have a big sporting and dance influence, which encourage young people to lead healthier and more active lives.

However, we strongly believe there must be a balance between sports and arts, which is why Youth Zones also inspire young minds to open up and be creative, by offering them the opportunity to try activities such as arts, crafts, fashion, media, drama and music, as well as learning vital skills they will need as they transition into adulthood.

There is a lot of local history tied up in Mr Smith’s and for many people it holds very special memories of a time when it was used as a performance and music venue.

We want to incorporate this tradition within the Youth Zone, and will be aiming to retain the original performance space to encourage young people to use it for concerts, cinemas and theatrical shows.

As an organisation, OnSide is unapologetic about creating facilities that are solely for use by young people.

We believe Youth Zones send a clear message to young people – we value you, you are important.

Each new Youth Zone finds its own way of working, influenced by local needs, and always aims to complement existing provision in the town.

Building on the experience and expertise of Warrington Youth Club, the Youth Zone will be a resource for all the young people of Warrington and we welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with other local groups to provide more opportunities for young people.

I would urge you to visit one of our existing Youth Zones, to discuss how we can work together in the future to make Warrington Youth Zone the best it can be for its young people.

KATHRYN MORLEY Chief executive OnSide Youth Zones