AN empty library building could be transformed into a community shop helping teenagers gain work experience, if the plan gets support from Bradford Council.

Idle’s former library on Albion Road has been put up for sale by the local authority, with a replacement community library now being run from the nearby Wright Watson Enterprise Centre.

Now the company that runs this Enterprise Centre, Inspired Neighbourhoods, is also bidding to take on the old library building, with a vision to turn it into a shop - possibly a greengrocers - where young people can be helped onto the first rung of a career in retail.

Ward councillor, and chairman of the Inspired Neighbourhoods community interest company, Jeanette Sunderland, said: “We are bidding to use the building as a fruit and veg shop, or some other retail premises, which young people can use for training opportunities.”

Cllr Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said the shop could offer all kinds of training, from short stints of work experience to apprenticeships, and would provide a valuable non-academic route into work for young people.

“We have 2,770 young people in the area and not everyone does well in school,” she said.

“It’s also a Grade II listed building and it will have a proper shop front.”

The stone building, which is in a conservation area as well as being listed, was built in around 1900 and had been a tailors’ shop before it became a library.

Bradford Council is advertising it for sale by informal tender and the closing date for offers is Friday, November 3.

Cllr Sunderland declined to say how much their bid would be worth but she said she hoped Bradford Council would consider the community value offered by all bidders before deciding who to sell to.

She said: “Not everything that the Council does has got to be for commercial gain. Sometimes there are much bigger community gains to be had.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said each bidder’s proposed use would be considered.

He said: “The former Idle library is to be placed on the open market shortly inviting offers and plans for the building’s proposed use.

“The decision on which offer to accept will be based upon the offers and proposed uses received, ensuring ‘best consideration’ is obtained whilst also assessing the wider benefits offered to the community, based on the Council’s priorities.”

A survey of villagers, carried out by Cllr Sunderland and her team when the community shop idea was first mooted, had showed widespread support.

Asked if the village would be improved by a greengrocers, 96 per cent had agreed.

A second question asked if they would support the training aspect of the idea, to which 85 per cent agreed.

Meanwhile, 77 per cent of residents said that aspect would increase the likelihood of them using the shop and 95 per cent agreed it was important for young local people to be given such opportunities.