TRUSTEES of an historic house in Minehead are appealing to local people to help keep it for use by the community.

Townsend House, first recorded in 1456 and rebuilt in the 1500s, is struggling to pay an unexpected energy bill – and is keen to now get more people hiring its rooms or donating towards it.

If they are not successful, the trustees will have to return the building to West Somerset Council, which owns it.

“It’s one of the oldest houses in Minehead, an interesting old building, and we’re keen to keep it going on behalf of the community,” said Tim Ross, one of six volunteer trustees who manage the house, with the aim of preserving it and for use by the community.

“It would be a loss for the town if it goes – there aren’t many places that offer different size rooms for hire, for everything from concerts for 40 to one to one meetings, as well as a nice walled garden that a few of us maintain.”

The house, which had its front remodelled by 1764, was bought by West Somerset District Council in the 1980s, and the trust leases it from them for £5 a year, with responsibility for any repairs.

Over 30 organisations have hired rooms in the house over the last year, some on a regular basis, but finances have become a problem for the trust.

“We struggled to have just enough money over the last few years without any great maintenance costs, then EDF decided that as we generated income we should be charged business rates, and they wanted to backdate that to 2013.

“We have managed to have that whittled down but still have a bill for £3,700 – our savings are not that great, and we are appealing for help,” Tim said.

The two-storey house has two downstairs rooms for hire, a kitchen, an upstairs meeting room, and a library with secondhand books.

Tim said the house could also be used for parties, with the garden a bonus in the summer. For further information visit townsendhouse.weebly.com.