AN INTERNATIONAL scramble to buy historic Fulham Town Hall is to be played out following a public exhibition tomorrow.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has received bids from around the world for the Grade II listed building and has whittled down interest to a final shortlist of what it described as three ‘unique’ offers.

The nature of the bids remains a secret, though it has been suggested previously that the town hall could become a hotel.

It wants residents to help make a final decision and will hold a public exhibition of the bids tomorrow (13/12). Visitors will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about their preferred choice.

Together with commercial property consultants, council bosses have been scrutinising all the proposals and are confident the historical character of the building and its public heritage will be respected. All three bids allow for parts of the landmark to be available for public use in the future.

Councillor Nick Botterill, environment leader, said: “The proposals for Fulham Town Hall by each party offer varied and innovative ways to regenerate the property, while acting as a catalyst for improvements in the wider area.

“Taxpayers have told us to look at innovative ways to bring the building back into use while preserving its heritage in a way that benefits Fulham as a whole.

“All three bids achieve that objective and the proceeds from the sale would be spent on key services such as protecting our most vulnerable residents, keeping the streets clean and buying books for our libraries.

“I look forward to a solution that breathes fresh life into Fulham, improves the council’s finances, creates numerous jobs and launches a new era of prosperity for this famous building.”

Fulham Town Hall is currently home to parking attendants, housing officers, cemeteries staff and registrars. All council officers currently working in the building will be relocated elsewhere.

It is being sold as part of the authority’s debt purge, as the council says it would cost taxpayers £5m to maintain.

For details of the bidders and their plans see the Chronicle website tomorrow.