THE old Nat West bank could become a real civic centre for Malvern, says the town's Labour Party.

The party's Malvern branch voted unanimously at a meeting last week to support the town council's decision to buy the building on the corner of Church Street and Grange Road.

The council says it wants to move into the building and also use it to provide a new home for the town's tourist information centre.

The resolution passed at the meeting says: "Malvern Branch Labour Party congratulates Malvern Town Council on its decision to move its offices into the former NatWest bank in Church Street.

"Combined with the tourist information centre, this has the potential of developing a proper civic centre in the heart of Malvern.

"Local government was created to enable communities to manage their own public services and encourage voluntary and private enterprise, deciding democratically what needs to be done and how it should be supported and funded.

"We look forward to this new council house becoming a thriving centre for community engagement, welcoming younger and older residents to get involved in ensuring the safety, happiness and development of our town."

313 people responded to a poll on the Malvern Gazette website, with 85 per cent voting against the move and 15 per cent in favour.

The proposal came after Malvern Hills District Council announced its intention of moving the Tourist Information Centre from its current site near the top of Church Street to Avenue Road.

This proposal was widely disparaged, with over 3,500 people signing a petition opposing the move, on the grounds that the Tourist Information Centre needs to be in the town centre.

Commenting on the Gazette's website, ArchStantonsaid: "As a rate payer I am not outraged. Good idea, better here than where they are now."

Mick Mane said: "They don't need a prestigious publicly accessible building which is too big for them and will have high maintenance costs as few people actually visit the town council."

Malvern86 said: "It is a complete waste of rate payers money. There is no need for them to move. Why do they need to move? It will serve no purpose to the public at all."