RUMOURS surrounding the future of a town's civic building were quashed by councillors at a public meeting.

Residents attending Shildon's annual parish meeting on Monday expressed concerns over the future of the Civic Centre, saying they had heard rumours that it was closing.

One of the rumours was that it would be demolished to make way for a supermarket.

But council clerk Mick Waterson categorically denied the rumours.

He said: "There have been no discussions at all, either informally or formally, about the future of the civic centre other than about the day-to-day running of it.''