Nailsea's iconic old library has been saved by local businessman Paul O'Brien and next summer it will reopen as Loungers restaurant.

Mr O’Brien is about to complete on the library site in a deal with landowners North Somerset Council and is determined to save the centre piece of the 1970s Crown Glass Shopping Centre from demolition.

He said: “We hope to start work in January, just a few last-minute insurance conveyancing issues to be settled.”

However, the building is believed to be suffering from concrete cancer with an asbestos roof and the council estimated last year the repair bill could exceed more than £1m.

It is set to reopen next summer as the Livro Lounge part of the Loungers Group of restaurants and when Nailsea People canvassed opinion on its Facebook page there was overwhelming support for the project.

Nikki Woltz said: “My husband is a senior manager at the Lounges.

“Yes, they are coming to Nailsea but not Impero, that is specific to Portishead, as is Teatro to Clevedon.

“There will be a lounge in Nailsea, called Livro but not in the old NatWest unit and not this year as it’s been delayed by other site openings in the south west.

“Hope this clears some of the ongoing speculations.”

Loungers operates on 244 sites in England and Wales across three distinct with complementary brands, Lounge, Cosy Club and Brightside.

Founded in 2002 by three friends who wanted to create a neighbourhood café-bar that they would want to go to the group is expanding and is hugely popular nationwide.

The word Livro comes from the Latin word 'librum' meaning book,

Previously Nailsea Town Council had done its best to save the hexagonal structure seemingly built on stilts with chain link guttering and even tried to get it listed building status.

The children's section was based downstairs on the lower floor down some spiral stairs which wasn’t ideal for parents with buggies.

North Somerset Council ward member for Nailsea Yeo Mike Bird who is currently chair of the town council, said previously: “The Nailsea Library building has always been something of a Marmite taste.

“Personally, I’ve always found it an Iconic building.

“However, it’s well past its use by date, leaking water and energy, costing a large amount to maintain and heat, costs that are only going to get higher.

"Add to this the building's inaccessibility (who chose a spiral staircase as an entrance to a children’s library?) and you have the reasons for the library having a new long term future in Colliers Walk.”

Nailsea Library moved to its new home in Colliers Walk in June with an official opening event on Wednesday, September 27.

According to author Margaret Thomas in The Book of Nailsea ‘Nailsea Library and Reading Room’ began life in 1856 in a room at Christ Church School (Four Oaks)’ and when the precinct was built the library moved in more than 50 years ago.

Mr O’Brien’s company Developments Bristol purchased the adjoining former Weston College site in Somerset Square with a view to redeveloping it into apartments with a retail unit on the ground floor.

He said: “This is on hold for the moment until we find another housing association partnership for the apartments.”

Meanwhile Praxis is still on a quest to build a budget supermarket in the car park thwarting the building of a tower block on the Weston College site.

Resident Martin Layton said: “The one thing that Nailsea has and must not lose is the car parking and access to the town centre for elderly and disabled or young families.

“We don't need safe cycling routes.

“We don't need another supermarket or coffee chain.

“We need independent traders of all descriptions, paying reasonable rents so they can charge reasonable prices.”​