Several groups have come forward and want to take over the running of a Portishead community hall which North Somerset Council had considered closing, the Times can reveal.

Avon Way Hall’s future has been the subject of some concern and debate within the town, since North Somerset announced in February it wanted to surrender control of the venue.

While the hall ran with a small surplus for the council, that was countered by the authority having to employ staff to run it and therefore it began to look for volunteers to partner up and operate the site.

Interested parties were given until the end of April to put forward a proposal and North Somerset says it is now evaluating the options on the table.

A council spokesman said: “We want the hall to remain a community facility which is why we’ve been asking for expressions of interest.

“We have received some and are examining them at the moment before we make a decision on the next step.”

North Somerset Council said the other options it considered for the hall were to close it or to continue to run it, but felt neither was a productive way forward as getting a partner would lead to savings and it removing an ‘associated liability’ from its portfolio.

When the move was mooted back in February, Portishead Town Council made clear how valuable the facility was for people living in and around Avon Way, with members suggesting it could suit scouting groups given there are more children wanting to join than spaces available.

Cllr Ros Cruse said: “Avon Way Hall is a very good facility for people who live at that end of town.

“As much as I don’t want to see the hall close, I believe we should only be the owner as the last resort, not the first resort.

“We can’t let it close.”

However, the town council confirmed this week it is not one of the parties who has expressed an interest in running the venue, as it does with sites such as the Folk Hall and North Weston Village Hall.