A MUSEUM for the county town of North Yorkshire could be established in a 251-year-old former printing shop in Northallerton town centre.

The empty and boarded up building behind Ottakar's book shop has been placed on the open market, but museum supporters are expected to face competition in trying to buy it.

A meeting is planned in Northallerton next week in an attempt to find a way forward for the project, which has been in the minds of museum campaigners for almost 20 years.

It was suggested three years ago that the former Register House, in Zetland Street, could become a base for a museum, but the building was taken over by a firm of funeral directors.

Coun John Coulson, a leading museum campaigner, said the old printing shop was of a more manageable size.

The building, featured in the latest book by Michael Riordan, official historian to the town council, is believed to have employed up to 30 people in its heyday. It was used by local firms Vaseys and Walkers and the last company to print material there was Dresser's, whose former premises in the High Street have been taken over on the ground floor by Ottakar's.

Coun Coulson, who recently had a letter published in the D&S Times asking if people were still interested in a museum project, said: "I would not say the response was overwhelming, but it was a very good response.

"There is interest from the local history society, the civic society, Hambleton District Council and local people. This is a listed building with a very interesting history in Northallerton going back many years.

"But after talking to the agent we realise there is competition from others who may wish to buy the building and we are hoping to hold a meeting shortly to find a way forward.

"It will be an interesting project if we can keep going and no-one gets the building before us. It is within the realms of purchase.

"It would be nice to have a museum for the county town of North Yorkshire. I am still amazed at what goes into the skips in Yafforth Road. If only we could get a building to stop that.

"As the county town, Northallerton is steeped in history and there are artefacts out there that should be in the public domain.

"Done correctly, this project could bring tourists in. We don't want it to be a burden on the council tax payer and we see it is a way of securing a historic town building and improving the building and its surroundings.

"This building is ideal. It is of a manageable size."

* Anyone interested in the project is invited to a meeting at Mill Hill School, Northallerton, on Tuesday (7pm), when supporters hope to have more information about the former printing shop and to take the first steps forward.