Alarm as Chatbox suspended

Audlem Online Chatbox enthusiasts are questioning the recent temporary shutdown of the service.

The popular Chatbox has been put on hold until July to allow some technical improvements behind the scenes while its moderators also take a short break.

The move has prompted several emails wanting to know why the service has been suspended and demanding its early return.

Local resident Robin Wilson writes: 'Why on earth did you choose to change Chatbox just when your team is away. I am not sure that I can wait until well into July – I need my daily fix of Chatbox!'

The popular Chatbox forum has had its problems in the past. Some participants have aired their views with some gusto and, as a result, posts have been censored and topics even banned when 'lively discussion' has occasionally descended into personal insult.

That said, the Chatbox has proved highly popular with readers as well as contributors. Around a third of site visitors regularly visit the Chatbox pages to read or to contribute entries.

John Tilling wrote earlier this month about possible changes to the Chatbox: He said 'In order to work these out properly and test them will take a few days, and this also happens to coincide with various absences of members of the team. So no new Chatbox entries will be posted onto the site from now until at least the beginning of July.

Apologies to regular readers and contributors to the Chatbox – we recognise the popularity and importance of this forum of views within the village community, but we also feel that we owe it to that community to try to ensure that the Chatbox does not in itself become a divisive force within the village.'

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