Building acquired at auction
After a nervous wait in which the auction went to blind bids, a group called the Budleigh Community Workshop has acquired the town's old fire station.
A surprise rival bid emerged over the bank holiday weekend, but through a mix of crowdfunding, donations and a small grant from the district council, the team generated enough cash for a winning bid. They'd earlier said they needed around £200,000.
The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service didn't go soft on the bidders, just because they're a community group rather than commercial developers. They say they accepted the best price for the site "the proceeds of which will go towards our aim of making communities safer by working to prevent incidents from happening."
Winners of auctions often have mixed feelings. They bag the ming vase, antique dresser or, as in this case, a fire station, knowing they've paid more than anyone else thinks it's worth. But the people behind Budleigh Community Workshop are thrilled that they now have the keys.
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