CONCERNS have been raised about the future of a police team in Thornbury after their current base was put up for sale.

Police officers in Thornbury moved into the former council offices in Castle Street last year after the police station was sold.

South Gloucestershire Council has now put the former council building on the market which, if sold, would leave police officers in Thornbury without a base in the town.

Lisa Hall, from Thornbury, is concerned that if the offices are sold then the policing team for Thornbury may have to be based from the new Patchway police station or from Chipping Sodbury.

“When the offices are sold where will they move? It would be far from ideal to have your policing team based several miles away. It’s distressing to say the least.

“Since the old police station was sold and turned into retirement homes the police team have been based in the old council offices in Castle Street but with the news that they are to be sold there is nowhere that the team could be based.

“If nowhere can be found then the effect on policing in Thornbury will be dire. It is very worrying.”

In September, the former council offices were used by police officers from across the country as a base for policing the NATO summit held at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales.

The site proved a key part of the policing operation for the event as it was chosen to house police officers from across the country at the strategic location.

Chief inspector Simon Ellis, from Avon and Somerset police, said: “The fact that the building is up for sale is not something that immediately concerns us.

“I don’t believe that any buyer will be arranged for the offices any time soon so there is no immediate rush for us to be out of the council offices.

“I am in discussions with various parties over an alternative base for police in Thornbury and I am hopeful that something will come to fruition.

“The last thing I want is for the police team in Thornbury to be based outside of the town and it is looking fairly promising that we will be able to sort something out so that our Thornbury team can continue to operate from Thornbury."