A GROUP of people from Wells' arts and heritage organisations are putting together a bid to save The Old Deanery on Cathedral Green for the community.

The Grade I listed medieval building is being sold by the Diocese of Bath and Wells, with an asking price of £2.5 million. Prospective buyers were asked to submit bids for it by September 12.

Offers will now be considered by the trustees of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Board of Finance at the next Bishop's Council meeting on Thursday, September 26.

One of the proposals has come from a Wells consortium including Bill Lloyd, the Director of Cedars Hall.

He said: "We decided that we simply must try to get The Old Deanery for public use, or regret a missed opportunity. It's an amazing historic building with an important garden. We couldn't stand by doing nothing and risk seeing it become a hotel or flats."

A Community Interest Company – The Old Deanery Project CIC – has been registered with the aim of buying The Old Deanery and its historically important William Turner Garden, and developing them for the benefit of the community and visitors.

The Diocese has been using The Old Deanery as offices for the last 80 years but will be moving to Flourish House at Cathedral Park next year.