Since 1998 there were six Saturday teams and 12 Sunday league teams and it has come down to Fishburn Park and the Stakesby Arms to continue football in the town.

This is mainly due to responsibility of management, volunteers and the lack of facilities, namely flat surfaced playing fields.

But surprisingly, Scarborough Borough Council wants to close Whitby Rugby Club.

This is not down to lack of volunteers or the lack of playing fields but the massive hike in rent.

The 180% increase in rent is unsustainable and if the council cannot help the rugby club, it will close before Christmas.

So after only having 42 players (three teams) playing football, I wonder what the 130 children on a Sunday and the 40 players on a Saturday are going to do?

Personally I think that once you close down something which was built by club members at no cost to the council; it will have a knock-on effect and create extra hatred towards the council.

As obesity and crime levels rise because people’s needs cannot be met because of the lack of decent facilities, this all will add to higher council tax bills.

I hope people on the council who earn big money by putting up our council tax year on year can just give something back to the community instead of taking a club, which was not theirs in the first place, and destroying it.

I am urging the people of Whitby and anyone who is associated with the rugby club to fight as we are facing a losing battle against the supremacy of our council.

Pete Stentiford, George Street, Whitby