A GROUP has been set up to revive the fortunes of the dilapidated Bingham Manor House.
The Friends of Bingham Manor House aims to come up with restoration plans, which could include a 250-seat community centre.
The group has begun to hold regular meetings to discuss the future of the historic building.
The move follows calls from residents for something to be done to save the 300-year-old building from falling into further disrepair.
The group's eight-strong committee has set up several small steering groups of more than 25 people to look into the restoration project and devise uses for the house, in the Market Place.
Group chairman Geoff Ashton, of Church Street, said: "We are currently an unregistered charity, as the group has only just been set up.
"But the aim is to become a registered charity, for which we need to raise £5,000, and to become a popular membership organisation.
"This is one of our aims at the moment, as well as getting as many volunteers on board as possible. We have formed several working groups to examine the possible uses for the Manor House in detail and we are already looking at potential opportunities for funding.
"We are fortunate to have a wide range of professional skills available to us through volunteers."
The committee has agreed a draft constitution and other administrative matters and considered the current state of the building, which is in need of extensive repairs before it can be opened.
It once housed an antiques shop but has been standing empty for many years.
Mr Ashton added: "A range of ideas have been put forward already, such as the house being used as a tourist centre, a place for children from local schools to practise music and drama, and for a 250-seat community hall to be built on to the back of the house. We have also discussed the idea of a heritage room to keep the heritage of the building alive."
Alan Harvey, vice-chairman of the group, added: "We have come a long way in a very short time and although all of the decisions in relation to the Manor House may not be directly within our control at present, we have already started to build positive relationships with the owner, the business community and those able to offer professional services.
"I am impressed with the community spirit which this project has engendered.
"There is a lot of work to do but the committee is taking a very positive approach to moving matters forward."
The group also plans to make a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for £1.5m to restore the building, and will be looking to gain new members at their stalls which will be held at local events such as the Bingham Christmas market on Friday, December 7.
It has also now launched a website – www.binghammanorhouse.org.
The site includes features on the house as well as photographs and details of the managing group.