AN historical civic hall - since used as offices and owned by a pub company - is to be sold at auction.

The dilapidated three-storey Old Town Hall, on Westgate, Guisborough, has a guide price of £75,000 when it goes under the hammer next month.

The move was welcomed by Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, who said: "The building has been under administrators’ control since the previous company who owned it went under.

“Because it’s called The Old Town Hall, people feel that we should be able to do something to improve its appearance. It is the historical civic hall but the council vacated some time ago.“Since then, really, the building hasn’t had any major repairs or maintenance - it’s fallen into a state of disrepair.

“Hopefully at auction there’ll be someone with the necessary funds to bring it up to scratch and back to good nick.

“It undermines the upkeep of the high street the way it is at the moment and it would help the high street to have it in use and looking good - I hope that whoever buys it will put the investment in to look after it.”

The Grade II listed building was built on the site of a former toll booth in 1821, and had its second floor added in 1870.

The auction is due to take place at noon on July 9 at a sale at Leeds United Football Club, Elland Road, Leeds.

Eddisons Chartered Surveyors confirmed the guide price of £75,000 is an indication of the seller’s current minimum price.

For details visit www.eddisons.com/property-auctions/online-catalogue