ONE of the most architecturally important buildings in Northwich town centre is up for sale this month.

The former RAOB Club, in Witton Street, will be auctioned on July 24 with a guide price of between £150,000 and £200,000.

The Grade II listed building was designed by architect J Cawley and opened in 1913.

Dan Jones, from estate agents and auctioneers Wright Marshall, said: “It’s got plenty of character as it stands, it’s just dated inside.

“It needs someone coming in and giving it a sympathetic renovation.

“There’s an awful lot of original features that have been kept and it was designed by a well-known local architect.”

It was owned by the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) from 1977 until it was forced to close its doors in February 2013.

It originally housed the Constitutional Club and was the headquarters of Northwich Conservative and Unionist Association.

The 4,807 sq ft former social club includes a cellar running underneath its full length, a saloon area and main function room with stage area, small dressing area, toilets and a bar.

Upstairs there is a hall, a number of offices or store rooms and a second function room.

It also has an intriguing viewing gallery at the back of the function room, which seems an unusual addition as it overlooks a car park and the back of Northwich Police Station.

Dan said: “The car park is really smooth and flat because it used to be a bowling green.

“The windows would fold back and hang on hooks so you could watch the bowls with a couple of pints.”

He said that there had been interest in the building from different types of buyers, including firms looking to turn it into offices.

“It’s the size really because if you were to keep the front as it is with all the important listed parts the rest is a really large versatile area that you could use for offices or an all-you-can-eat restaurant,” he said.

“It would be good to see it put to good use again.

“There are an awful lot of people who walk past here on a very regular basis and to have something notable here would be really good.”

For more information about the property and the auction ring Wright Marshall’s Northwich office on 01606 41318.