BOURNEMOUTH residents are being unwittingly taken into a deal that could see the town lose control of the Pavilion theatre, it is claimed.

A Conservative councillor said he is horrified by the terms of the council's deal with the Trevor Osborne Property Group and the lack of information given to backbench councillors and residents.

Cllr Ian Lancashire said: "What people don't realise is that the Pavilion is as good as his.

"When I've told people that the Pavilion is now nothing really to do with Bournemouth, they are staggered."

Trevor Osborne has the Pavilion on a 99-year lease, with an option to renew for 26 years, in return for his commitment to spending £13million refurbishing the venue.

A final decision on whether his company or the council will operate the venue has not yet been made but if the council wants to run it, it will be charged rent for some areas of the building.

If Trevor Osborne runs the Pavilion, he will pay a percentage of the profits to the Lower Gardens charitable trust, with a guaranteed minimum of £250,000 a year.

The council insists there are safeguards in place if programming standards or attendances fall below guaranteed levels but Cllr Lancashire is unconvinced.

"I am sure Trevor Osborne's intentions are good but signing over the Pavilion for 100-plus years is madness," he said. "What if he retires or sells his company? Who will run the Pavilion then?

"There are two main focal point buildings in Bournemouth, the Town Hall and the Pavilion. We are custodians of this town and we shouldn't be selling off its assets."

Cllr Bob Chapman, the cabinet member overseeing the Pavilion project, said he would not take the town into a deal unless he thought it was right.

"Far from losing the Pavilion, we want to enhance the place," he said.

"The building is showing its age and we have got to have investment for it. As to whether the deal is yet right, we're still in negotiation with the proposed developer.

"There are a lot of areas where changes are being made to the original concept and the council will have more details within the next few weeks.

"None of us are in a position yet to say that this is the right deal. It's my task to sort that out."