Sale of Weymouth's Brewers Quay could be frozen
Campaigners have launched a bid to list it as a community asset
Campaigners are bidding to list Brewers Quay in Weymouth as an 'asset of community value' to give it a special status.
It's thought a buyer for the building has been lined up by administrators but that deal could be frozen for months if the status is granted.
Weymouth Area Development Trust, and other community groups, would then have 6 months to put together the money to make an offer on the building.
They say utilising the building properly has in the past attracted £8 million for the local economy.
Chris Wilson is the Director of the Trust.
She told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
"In 2005, that site, because it was a multi-attraction site, had 778,000 visitors in one year.
"In 2017 after all these things had been shut down and it had been through three developers, the footfall to the last surviving bit of Weymouth Museum was 3,096.
"It's something that could be used to be something absolutely fabulous and it's loved by the people who live around that area.
"To lose that would be really, really difficult. After three sets of developers, none of whom have actually done anything with it, people are really scared that history's going to repeat itself."
What would becoming an asset of community value mean?
An asset of community value gives organisations the 'right to bid' on buildings that have been integral to communities, and where the sale or closure of such buildings can cause lasting damage.
It gives the community a chance to keep those buildings in public use and ensure they remain a social hub for the community.
The WADT say they don't necessarily want to buy the site, but the listing will make it clear to the buyer the importance of the building. They're open to the idea of buying it if they get the chance, but they're also reaching out to the prospective developer to work with them on the future of the site.
A Dorset Council spokesperson said:
"Dorset Council has received a nomination for Asset of Community Value for Brewers Quay from WADT (Weymouth Area Development Trust) and this is currently under consideration, with a decision due soon."