The Newent Initiative group has submitted a £200,000 bid for the Grade II listed Albion House with the aim of turning it into a new Tourist Information Centre.

An extra £100,000 more could be spent converting the Georgian town house, near the Market Hall, with a view to a grand opening in April 2004.

The matter was being discussed further at a Newent Initiative Seminar, which was not open to the general public, at Newent Memorial Hall yesterday (Thursday).

Mayor Fred Passant, chairman of the group, said the bid for Albion House, which is currently on the market at an asking price of £200,000, had gone in through the Millennium Trust.

He said: "Albion House is very central and a TIC there would be open every day and feature a coffee shop, gift shop and other facilities for the community."

The current TIC, in Church Street, is too small and its opening hours are restricted.

The Albion House scheme is one of 30 major projects earmarked by the Newent Initiative.

Others due for discussion this week include town centre improvements and a new play area, possibly close to Newent Lake, improvements to both Newent Arboretum and to the woodland close to Newent Lake and improving the changing rooms at Newent Leisure Centre/Community School Coun Passant said that although costings were still to be decided, the main funding would still have to come from the Lottery, or Sport England.