Warminster Preservation Trust is appealing to the town’s residents to give money to save the old town hall, which is expected to be sold in the new year.

The hall, which was built in 1830 by the Marquess of Bath and given to Warminster Urban Council in 1903, was sold out of council control in 1974, when it was transferred to West Wiltshire District Council.

Warminster Preservation Trust has now started raising cash to buy the Grade II listed building, which has been empty for five years since Etherington Solicitors moved out.

Trust secretary Michael Heaton believes the building, which was built by Victorian architect Edward Blore, who also built Buckingham Palace, should be saved.

He said: “It is clear, from recent public consultations and letters in the press, that the weight of public opinion in the town is clearly in favour of the building being in public ownership and devoted to community uses.

“We understand the building is to be auctioned early in the new year. With that in mind, we are seeking contributions to an acquisition fund, so we are able to bid.

“The WPT will put £29,000 in and we have received £7,000 of pledges from Civic Trust members.

“The selling agents value the building at £400,000, but we do not accept that valuation, mainly because it needs a similar sum spent on it just to make it safe and secure, but it is a target to which we must work for the time being.

“That represents roughly £25 per head of Warminster’s population or £100 per household.”

Warminster town councillor Chris March, who is backing the campaign, said: “I’ve been walking round the town, talking to the local business to ask for donations. It’s been quite gratifying to see the cheques coming through.

“We appreciate it’s coming up to Christmas so thank everyone for their help. We have also sent a letter out to all of the Civic Trust’s 250 members. We’ve got to pull out all the stops in order to place our bid. We need to be ready when an auction takes place.

“We don’t want someone to buy the building and then sit on it and do nothing with it. I want the building to be used by the community or for mixed use.”

To make a donation towards purchasing the building, make a cheque payable to The Warminster Preservation Trust Ltd and send it to 78 Boreham Road, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 9JN.