THE future of Richmond's Garden and Farm Supply Centre after the business closes next month will be decided in public.

Richmondshire District Council has confirmed it has received a number of inquiries from firms and people interested in taking over the lease from Mike Pattison, who will quit the building on Christmas Eve.

He claims he was left with no choice once the local authority made it clear it had selected the site for leisure purposes.

The council remains equally adamant Mr Pattison gave notice to quit of his own accord.

However, the property has now been advertised in the Estates Gazette and nine of the applicants are to be invited to draft their proposals in more detail.

Each will be tabled at a sub-committee meeting, which will be asked to decide which offers the council the best value for money.

The authority has also agreed any decision the meeting reaches will have to be ratified in public by the authority's resources committee.

"I am relieved we will be dealing with this in the open," said Councillor John Harris, who had questioned the apparent secrecy surrounding the issue at earlier meetings.

"However, I am also concerned that we do not rush into anything. The future use of this building is an important decision and we have to be sure that we get it right."