A HISTORIC building could be lost to the people of Congresbury if nothing is done to save it, say campaigners.

The Mercury reported in April last year the Memorial Hall, which opened in 1920 and displays tributes to those who died in both World Wars, has fallen into a state of disrepair, with �7,000 needed to fix the leaky roof.

The venue, which includes a social club, has been losing money for more the past two years because the damage caused to one of the function rooms and a garden has left it unusable.

The hall, which is a registered charity, has a management committee and new vice-chairman Jayne Tozer has been busy organising fundraising events since she joined in April but says if the village does not help, the building will be pulled down.

She has started holding indoor car boot sales, raising �300 at the last one, and wants to run them every month.

The committee also recently held a successful tea and cake afternoon and Jayne wants to organise discos and karaoke nights, but so far applications for grant funding from the Big Lottery and other organisations have been unsuccessful.

Jayne said: “The money we have raised so far has been through donations made by committee members because we are having problems getting the village involved.

“They say they want to pull it down and build a new hall but if we can’t raise a few thousand pounds to get the roof repaired how are we going to pay for a new building?

“It’s a huge place and has so much potential for holding events but at the moment everything, including old items on display, are getting damp, it’s really sad.”

Meanwhile Jayne hopes a new landlord, who took over the running of the club earlier this year following the retirement of the previous licensees after 13 years, will breathe new life into the venue.

The hall is home to the village branch of the Royal British Legion and is used by community groups including the over 60s club.

It also hosts sports such as short mat bowls, badminton and snooker.