VILLAGERS are preparing for a fight to stave off the threat of closure of a community venue.

People at Esh Winning have been told that Durham City Council is considering closing the hall at Woodlands Road, Esh Winning, because it was underused.

But residents said the hall, near old people's bungalows, is thriving and is a valuable centre for community activities.

The Liberal-Democrat council, which is carrying out a review of all the district's communal halls, has sent the residents a letter saying it has no plans to shut the hall.

But residents said their local Labour councillors have told them a report to a recent cabinet meeting suggested converting the hall into bungalows for the disabled.

Residents' spokesman Bob Heslop said: "There is a large uprising about it. They say it isn't getting used enough and they want to convert it into bungalows.

"It isn't used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it is well used and it is a community resource.

"It has bingo, afternoon clubs, and friends' clubs. It is used by younger people. It isn't just for pensioners.''

Mr Heslop said the council cabinet member for community services, Fraser Reynolds, had sent a letter saying there were no closure plans and that the council wanted to look at how the usage could be increased.

But the village's councillors said a report to the cabinet claimed the building could be converted.

Mr Heslop said residents were confused by the contradiction and were forming a committee to fight to keep the hall open.

Councillor Reynolds, who will meet residents next month, said: "Woodlands Road is okay, it is well used. There seem to be rumours going around. We are carrying out a review of all communal halls. Some of them are hardly used and it is a question of getting the best use out of them.''

Coun Reynolds said of the suggestion that the hall be converted: "This was just a part of a report. At the end of the day, there were no recommendations to close the hall at Woodlands Road."