A SPECIALLY commissioned, £66,000 bandstand created "as a gift" to the people of a South Lakeland town has been left virtually unused since it was completed six months ago.

The new South Lakeland District Council-owned "performance space" which stands on the Glebe, at Bowness, has been used only once this year.

The striking structure was completed in April and was officially opened in August as a replacement for the old Victorian bandstand which was wrecked by vandals.

It was designed as a venue for exhibitions, open-air theatre and music and was funded by a £60,000 grant from the North West Regional Development Agency, passed through to the Lakes Market Towns Initiative. Windermere Town Council and South Lakeland District Council also contributed £4,000 and £2,000 respectively.

The structure's innovative design took its inspiration from the natural world and includes a coppercovered leaf shaped roof and steel tree-like supports. This aimed to give the structure a natural feel and blend in with its stunning surroundings.

But when the The Westmorland Gazette visited earlier this month, its base was littered with shards of broken glass.

Heidi Brammall, partner at Chris Brammall - the Ulverston-based company which designed the structure - said she and her husband had put in a lot of "time and energy" into the design and was "disappointed" it had not yet been used.

"One thing that we were adamant about was that the structure should be used. It is as much a gift to the people of Windermere and Bowness as it is to the tourists."

She added that many towns received the "most fantastic" pieces of artwork but then responsibility for looking after them often fell "between committees".

"It is such a pity. There are so many amateur theatre groups and bands that could use it," she said.

Windermere and Bowness Mayor Pat Holmes said that the bandstand was in an "ideal situation".

"It does seem a shame to put such a structure up at such a cost and for it not to be used," she said.

But chief executive of the Lakes Market Town Initiative Bill Smith said that the bandstand would be promoted by a soon-to-be-appointed Market Towns' Officer for Windermere and Bowness.

He said that he had already received interest from the Lake District Summer Music Festival about using the structure for performances next year. "It is something we would like to see used more often," he said.

SLDC parks and contracts officer Tony Naylor said that the council had received a "small amount" of interest in the bandstand but no definite bookings.

He added that if anyone was interested in performing at the site, they should contact him on 01539-717198.