PLANS have been unveiled to turn Mr Smith’s into a flagship youth club to rival any other in the north west - after a mystery bidder stepped in to save the building from demolition.

A private sector sponsor, who wishes to remain anonymous, is bidding to buy the former nightclub for around £1 million, according to Warrington Borough Council documents.

The sponsor would then hand it over, free of charge, to Warrington Youth Club.

Mr Smith’s is set to be demolished after developers said a viable financial solution could not be found for the existing building.

However, if the bid is successful, the council would contribute £3 million to turn the site into a state-of-the-art facility for young people in the town, along with a further £2 million from the sponsor.

Town Hall bosses have been in discussions with OnSide, a charity that provides modern youth clubs, focused on providing a wide range of activities from sport to arts, with long opening hours and mentoring projects.

Onside ‘youth zones’ have already been opened in Manchester and Wigan, with Mr Smith’s now earmarked as the latest site.

Plans will be discussed at a meeting of the council’s executive board next Monday.

The Warrington Guardian understands it will still be up to the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust, who owns the building, to decide if it wants to accept the private sector bid.

The proposals are separate to a campaign by residents to save the Art Deco building.