PLANS to take local ownership of Minehead’s old hospital to continue running it as a community hub have suffered a setback after a fire forced its closure.

Heavy overnight rainfall saw water pour in through a previously secure part of the roof, resulting in an electrical fire.

Minehead’s deputy mayor, Cllr Toni Bloomfield, who helps to run Gateway Events and Minehead Connect, said it was fortunate that the building’s electricity grid was almost immediately shut down, saving the situation from becoming worse.

Gateway Events recently launched an appeal to raise funds to buy the old hospital, which has been put up for sale by owner Bill Howard for £800,000.

Cllr Bloomfield said the fire brigade had instructed the whole site had to be closed for safety reasons while repair work was carried out, including the community Cafe Connect.

She said an electrician was due to complete a check of the building next week, after which it was hoped the premises could be reopened by the weekend ‘as normal’.

Cllr Bloomfield said: “We have not been able to run any of our normal groups in here until we get the all-clear to go back in.

“I am absolutely gutted. But it could have been much worse.”

She said the cafe had suffered a series of temporary closures since it was launched, with the fire being the latest blow.

“I am hoping all the bad stuff is out of the way now,” she said. “It has just been so frustrating.”

Cllr Bloomfield said the community group would need even more support to help it recover lost funds once the old hospital was reopened.

She said: “We have spent a lot of money on work and improvements and we have lost a month’s income from bookings.

“I am excited to get it back open as soon as we can, which we are hoping will be next weekend.”

The grade two listed property in The Avenue was bought in 2015 from the NHS by retired consulting engineer Mr Howard and has been a focus for community activities ever since.

Mr Howard has now decided it was time for somebody else to take on the property and he is asking for offers to buy it to be submitted through estate agents Greenslade Taylor Hunt by February 17.