Clubs in Royal Wootton Bassett are worried that the sale of the Civic Centre will leave them with nowhere to meet.

The town council has been planning to offload the building for a number of years and has recently come to the decision to sell it for residential use.

But this will mean many clubs and societies that use the Civic Centre as a meeting place will be forced to make alternative arrangements.

Mary Harrison, treasurer of the Artists’ Society, said: “I was very upset and so were a lot of other clubs and societies. There is nowhere else to go that has plenty of space and suitable parking, and everyone will be looking for somewhere at the same time, so it’s not like we can get in there early to book somewhere.

“It is the cost as well, since even if we find somewhere it could be very expensive.”

It was hoped the community campus scheme, which will see Wiltshire Council develop tailored services for the community, would have been ready by the time the council decided to close the Civic Centre.

Mike Leighfield, town councillor for Royal Wootton Bassett South, said: “The Civic Centre has cost us an arm and a leg to run. We are going to do everything we can to help the clubs and societies in Bassett to find alternative arrangements.

“If we can’t, we will offer a grant to subsidise the cost of alternative buildings if they are more expensive.”

A public consultation is being held on Thursday at the Civic Centre’s ground floor hall from 2pm to 7pm.

For more information, call the town council on (01793) 850222.