Weston Town Council is still yet to formally acquire the old Weston Mercury and North Somerset Times office building on Waterloo Street.

In December last year, the council purchased the historic building as its newspaper staff relocated to a permanent home working environment. The Mercury office went up for sale in May 2020.

The council hopes to use the listed building as its headquarters and an information centre for both visitors and residents. It will later migrate administration staff into the building.

Once the town council is relocated to Waterloo Street its current leasehold offices in Grove Park will be returned to North Somerset Council for alternative use consideration.

The iconic site was home to the Mercury, and its predecessor titles, since 1885 and was designed by famous architect Hans Price.

In 2014, paranormal investigators discovered the presence of a ghost in Mercury Towers, supposedly a small boy who 'once lived and died' in the building.

The old newsroom on the ground floor will be converted into council chambers and the front reception will be used as a visitor information centre, complete with a community meeting space and mayor's office upstairs.

Weston Mercury: The Weston Mecury building won first prize in the towns 1897 Jubilee illuminations.The Weston Mecury building won first prize in the towns 1897 Jubilee illuminations. (Image: Archant)

There are also hopes to retain the sense of its previous use as a newspaper building by storing and displaying old archives and memorabilia in tribute to it as a significant Weston landmark.

However frustration is being expressed by some about the length of time it has taken to complete conveyancing.

Chairman of the working party tasked with restoring the building and bringing it into public use, Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, said conveyancing contracts agreed with the paper's company Archant are being rewritten to meet the demands of the receiver and trustees.

Weston Mercury: Weston Mercury staff members leaving the Weston Mercury building for the last time.Weston Mercury staff members leaving the Weston Mercury building for the last time. (Image: Mark Atherton Photography)

The councillor said: "On top of this, HM Land Registry is still suffering from a Covid backlog of work which is having a knock-on effect across the country.

"In order not to lose time so it can be reopened to the public, the town council is already preparing the planning application to enable redesign and reopening of the ground floor, remodelled front reception, information centre and improved disability access."

In coming years improvements will be made to its environmental performance, accessibility and the historic front façade cleaned.

Weston Mercury: The building was designed by Hans Price.The building was designed by Hans Price. (Image: Archant)