OFFERS to buy a prominent building in the heart of Fordingbridge have been received.

Fordingbridge Club, which has been marketed by Woolley and Wallis as suitable for a mixed-use development, was auctioned for best bids on Friday, June 20.

A Woolley and Wallis spokesman said: “We submitted bids to the client and they are with them at the moment.”

Club chairman Michael Andrews told the Forest Journal that “we have an offer on it”.

However, he stressed that a meeting would be held “as soon as possible” with the club members, who are shareholders, to confirm the club’s closure, to take a vote to approve its sale and hear the bids that have been received.

He said: “At this stage it is in the hands of my solicitor. I will be organising a meeting that will be held as soon as possible with a solicitor in attendance.

“All the members are in agreement that the club should be sold, so the meeting will be held to confirm the club’s closure and to agree a sale.

“We have an offer on it, but all the offers that have been received for the building will be read out.”

Hopes are being raised that one of the best bids is from an interested party from an upmarket shop chain, which has had talks with the town mayor, Malcolm Connolly, over the Roundhills building.

However, it remains unconfirmed at this stage whether “the very genuine and committed” party investigating the potential of redeveloping the club, put in a bid.

Mr Connolly said: “My understanding is that he did put in a bid, but I am not certain of this. I will be making inquiries.”

The site is about 0.16 acres and features two 19th century warehouses with extensions providing a floor space of 7,442 sq ft (691.4 sq m) and is on the market for £250,000.

Fordingbridge Club closed in 2012, just before a meeting was due to be held over plans to strip the club of its licence.