THE fate of a historic building in the centre of Abingdon is set to be decided this week.

Old Abbey House is currently owned by Vale of White Horse District Council, but the authority plans make a decision on whether it should be sold on Friday (December 4).

The building is not listed, but has a long history, and more than 1,600 people have signed a petition calling for it to be maintained in public ownership and used as a community centre.

While this petition is set to be discussed in public during Friday's meeting, discussion of bids from groups who want to take over the ownership of the building is due to be held privately.

This is a standard arrangement whenever councils discuss financial matters which have not been finished yet.

The council has 'received a number of bids from parties interested in bringing the building back into active use'.

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Some of these are from commercial property companies, but at least one community organisation, the Friends of Abingdon Civic Society, which wants to transform it into a public use building for the town.

The civic society has recently been awarded a £15,000 grant to get expert advice for its plans.

Emily Smith, leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “I’m really pleased that cabinet members will be able to consider a number of proposals that will see Old Abbey House brought back into active use.

"The building has been sitting there unused for far too long. The council can’t afford and shouldn’t spend taxpayers’ money on the costs of maintaining an empty building.”