THE Victorian Grade 2-listed town council offices in Tavistock are about to feature in a glossy brochure aimed at attracting a buyer for the premises used by the local authority for the last 100 years.
The building, constructed for Tavistock Urban District Council in 1900, does not comply with stringent fire and disability regulations and a decision to sell it was eventually reached this summer.
Roger Howard, Tavistock's town clerk, said: 'We can't afford to stay here. It's going to cost £250,000 to keep this building as a public office — we have to move to somewhere which is accessible to the disabled and that meets all the new requirements, so we're looking for a new home.'
Col Howard said he was hoping an 'entrepreneur' would buy the three-storey building, which also houses the register office and the museum. Other concerns also use some of the rooms including the Genesis Outreach charity.
To comply with regulations which come into force in January 2004, the offices would need to have a lift installed and expensive fire safety work.
Col Howard said the sales particulars for the council offices are expected imminently.
'We don't have to sell it right away, we're just testing the water,' said Col Howard.
'It's not going to be a rapid thing but we need to gear things up. It's best value for the town — we don't want to spend £250,000 of ratepayers' money just to stay here,' he said.
Col Howard said the council has a variety of relocation options to consider, including sharing borough council premises or buildings in the town like the town hall or library.
However, he felt the library building would not find favour with councillors who wanted it for retail use once the library is transferred to its new site being built in Plymouth Road.