THE future of Leyburn's Thornborough Hall has been thrown into doubt again, after the town council confirmed it would no longer be looking for cash from Europe to buy and refurbish the building.

However, the council has not given up on plans to acquire the former Victorian manor house from Richmondshire District Council.

Alternative sources of funding are to be explored in the coming weeks, including the possibility of commercial partnerships.

It will be a race against time.

The district authority, which is keen to save £20,000 a year in maintenance costs, wants a decision by October, which leaves the town council only weeks to raise the money required.

If it was to apply for assistance under the EU's Objective 2 programme, it should have submitted a bid by Monday of this week.

The town council was not comfortable with a short-term financial commitment that would have required, nor were members certain they would have the support of the community.

With too little time left to consult the public, the application for a £150,000 grant from Brussels was dropped.

Yesterday, the mayor, Trixie Walker, said other doors may be open as a result.

"Under the Objective 2 criteria, the emphasis of the building would have been very much on business because the funding would have been spent on economic regeneration.

"However, perhaps a change of tack will allow us more of an emphasis on community use to complement the library and register office," she said.

As well as office space for the town council, the building could include a small museum, a function room capable of hosting weddings, exhibitions and conferences, and a number of business units.

"What worries us what will happen to the building if the town council does not become the new owner.

"Will it go on the open market or be converted into flats? What would happen to the library and register office? These are the things which concern us," said Councillor Walker.