OXFORD’s Youth Hostel has undergone a week-long makeover despite its uncertain future.

Volunteers grabbed overalls and paintbrushes and got to work transforming eight bedrooms at the YHA Oxford beside the railway in Botley Road.

But the hostel’s future is still in doubt after Network Rail submitted plans in July 2014 for a £75m scheme that would see it demolished.

Manager Nick Clements said: “Our properties team are working alongside Network Rail to find us a new location.

“It will happen one day, but the last thing we are going to do is stop spending money just because one day we will not be here.

“That would be detrimental to our customers – we still want to look after them.

“It would be a disaster if we just decided to stop putting money in, we would lose our customers for when we did actually move.”

The hostel, which has been in Botley Road since 2001, said the revamp cost less than £400.

Mr Clements added: “We have a dedicated volunteering department at our head office to co-ordinate volunteer hostel managers and work placements.

“They have a small budget for materials for events like this, but the most valuable thing is the time and hard work the volunteers themselves put into helping us out.”

Seventeen-year-old Cleo Hickenbotham travelled down from Solihull as part of her work towards the Duke of Edinburgh gold award.

She said: “We have to do a residency somewhere, so I thought what better place to help the community than Oxford, where so many people use the hostel.

“It has been a great experience and it’s nice to be able to do something for someone else.

“I’ve definitely enjoyed my time here and I would strongly recommend other people my age to do the awards – it certainly puts you apart from anyone else.”

The A-Level student who hopes to study cancer biology and immunity at Bristol University, added: “This is such an easy way to reach out and help other people.

“The amount of people that use the hostel and will benefit from this makeover will be huge.”

Since the hostel opened, the number of visitors has steadily increased.

In 2012, it reached a milestone when 60,000 overnight stays were recorded.

As part of the revamp, all the hostel’s carpets are being professionally cleaned and new curtains and beds are next on the makeover agenda.

Mr Clements added: “On top of this, we’ve just refurbished the self-catering kitchen and lobby, so an all-round makeover is in the works at Oxford YHA.”

The hostel will be hosting a free gig on February 18 by Swiss band 77 Bombay Street.