A COMMUNITY group leading the bid to revitalise Richmond's old railway station is hoping for a firmer commitment to the cause from the district council this evening.

The Friends of Richmond Station have taken the lead in the bid to breathe new life into the premises which was home to the Richmond Farm and Garden Supply Centre.

Other commercial bidders have fallen by the wayside, either by their own choice or because they could not convince the local authority they had the financial clout to make their plans a reality.

In January, Richmondshire District Council indicated it would shelve any marketing of the old station until July to give the Friends of Richmond Station time to commission a feasibility study to examine if a trust to run the building is a viable option.

However, the agreement did not preclude discussions with any other bidder who may want to throw their hat into the ring - and the group are worried that they could risk cash pledged by their supporters on research which may prove irrelevant if they were to suddenly find themselves up against competition they could not hope to match.

As a result, when the council's resources committee meets tonight, it will be asked to pledge that it will not entertain any new bids for the old station until the feasibility study is finished in July.