PART of Minehead Old Hospital could be brought back into use within six months, the owner has said.

The project to turn Minehead’s Old Hospital into a Community Hub has been a long-running saga which hit a snag this time last year when the owners parted company with long time partner Minehead Development Trust (MDT).

But now director of Minehead Old Town Hall Investments Ltd (MOTHI), Bill Howard says good progress is being made with a newly formed Community Interest Company Minehead Connect and a board featuring prominent community-minded Minehead businessmen.

On the new board are Alex de Mendoza from Minehead Chamber of Commerce, businessman Bryan Leaker, who recently resigned as a district councillor, and newly appointed district councillor Andy Kingston-James.

“They have been brought in to ensure they can do what MDT was not able to and effectively take on the lease – as the developer I will work in very close partnership with them,” Mr Howard said.

“It is good to have these three guys on the board as they are very business minded and know the Community Hub must run cost efficiently. I feel a little bit hurt when people say it is a business venture when that is not the case – but it does have to wash its own face.”

Mr Howard said the team were well on their way to completing the business plan which would enable them to apply for vital funding to complete the bulk of the work.

He said alongside plans to bring in the library,and the West Somerset Citizens Advice Bureau among others to the hub, the team were also investigating the possibility of a community radio station and a repair cafe for the hub.
“We will tackle the project and budgeting in stages – we hope to bring parts of the back of the building which do not require a massive overhaul back into use in the next six months,” Mr Howard said. 

“The next stage will be rooms further in which require some demolition and we aim to get them back into use six months after the completion of phase one.” 

“By this point we hope to have progressed a number of our funding bids, I will have put in a lot of my own money and we start work on the main building.