BUILDINGS housing Thirsk’s famous veterinary surgery, The World of James Herriot, look set to be handed to the community.

Hambleton District Council Cabinet members have agreed to transfer 23 and 25 Kirkgate to the museum, in what would have been author Alf Wight’s centenary year.

The authority opened the centre - a tribute to the vet and author Alf Wight - in 1999. It invested £1.4m in the project which included contributions from private and public sources.

In 2012, the council put the centre on a commercial footing by transferring it to The World of James Herriot Ltd. Visitor numbers have since risen, and the centre won Visit England’s Small Visitor Attraction of the Year in 2015.

“Transferring these buildings in the centenary year seems a good way of celebrating the success of the centre and of Alf Wight,” said Council leader Cllr Mark Robson said the move would give the centre better access to grants for further development.

"However we will safeguard the items owned or donated to the council and part of the transfer conditions will see the asset returned to the council should changes that are not beneficial to the community proposed.”

Members agreed that officers should work up the transfer – but asked to see a final report before the deal was signed.