Plans to create a gym in Bideford's old library have met with a wave of opposition with many suggesting that a heritage feature or museum would be more appropriate.

Active Torridge, a company set up by Torridge District Council to manage its leisure facilities, announced recently that the regeneration of the Carnegie Library into a gym would be its 'big ticket' project this year, subject to planning permission.

The dilapidated library is part of the Grade II-listed Bideford Town Hall and owned by the district council. Councillors heard that it would take £10 million to make the whole building fit for the future.

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Active Torridge, which runs leisure centres in Holsworthy, Torrington and Northam, wants to repurpose the space into "something unique" and says fitness classes in the area are limited, with many full to capacity.

A new library opened in Bideford Arts Centre last year, but ideas to regenerate the former library building have been met with outrage on social media and among history enthusiasts.

When Carnegie Library opened in February 1906, it was declared "free to the people of Bideford forever".

It was funded by millionaire benefactor Andrew Carnegie and opened by his relative C S Carnegie from Northam.

Back in the present a spokesperson said: "In view of Bideford being given Heritage Harbour status, we would hope that Torridge District Council has given full consideration to the contribution that a building like this could make to such a project."

Torridge councillor James Craigie (Bideford East) said he would like to see the former library used to promote local heritage.

"I think it should be a heritage centre, but the leadership of Torridge District Council has decided to make it available internally, so I believe the leisure services offer is a result of that.

"I am very concerned that the wider community has not had any input into that at an early stage. It would be ideal as a heritage centre as it is near the harbour."

Cllr Craigie said the heritage tourism sector had the highest value, as it is year-round and growing.

He would like to see some of the £20 million of Torridge Levelling Up funds ploughed into it. He told the meeting: "We have a museum at the Burton Art Gallery but it is very small, there is a need for a much bigger space for our maritime history."

In the sixteenth century, Bideford was Britain's third largest port and has since been a channel for industries including timber, emigration, pottery, coal, gravel, fisheries, agriculture, energy, tourism and enterprise, according to the Bideford and River Torridge Heritage Harbour. It remains a thriving harbour today, they said.

There are only 10 heritage harbours in the country, including Exeter, Bristol and Ipswich.

The new status was given after a campaign by 10 local charities including Bideford-based Way of the Wharves.

Cllr Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin (Lib Dem, Shebbear and Langtree) said she supported plans for a gym and wellbeing centre which was "a great opportunity" to repurpose an old library.

She said many people had suggested the building became a mental health centre to replace the Bideford link centre which Devon County Council has decided to close, along with others in North Devon.

"There are multiple rooms which can be used to improve mental health, therapy sessions and mindfulness," she said. "This will benefit the wider community. It's much better than seeing it boarded up and falling into disrepair or sold off and turned into a second home.

One of the comments on Facebook said: "I think there's plenty of other empty buildings in Bideford which would be far more suitable as a gym without turning this beautiful building into one."

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