AT least two prospective buyers are anxious to keep the George Hotel as a hotel – and one wants it to be four star.

The 60-bedroom hotel dramatically closed its doors on January 2 and since then agents for the Victorian property have reported strong interest.

The council is anxious to preserve the George’s heritage and is desperate for it to remain a hotel.

It is understood that although the council does “not have an open cheque book” some financial help could be forthcoming if that made a difference.

Council leader Mehboob Khan said yesterday: “There are two or three potential buyers in the pipeline and we are just waiting for the receivers to announce something. The process has taken rather longer than we thought.”

Regeneration chief Clr Peter McBride said he and council officers had met two hoteliers who said they were going to bid.

He said: “One of them certainly saw it in terms of an upmarket, four-star accommodation.

“The other was also looking for upmarket though not necessarily committing to four stars.

“Providers of the cheap and cheerful couldn’t make it stick and it would not be appropriate.

“We see St George’s Square as the jewel in the crown of what Huddersfield has to offer and we will do anything within our means to bring it to life.

“We have spoken to big operators in the town and when they do business they want to put up their clients in the town. At the moment they have to send them out of town.”

Clr Khan added that any buyer would have to carefully consider the wishes of the town’s businesses and residents who have “strongly voiced” their opinions.

“They would have to be very careful about doing something that goes against the pride of the town,” he said. “Our hopes would be for a four- star hotel.”

A spokeswoman for agent Colliers International, which has been marketing the hotel said: “We have had a lot of positive interest.”

The George which was built in 1851 boasted a 50-cover restaurant as well as function and meeting rooms.

It earned its place in history when 21 northern rugby clubs founded what became the Rugby Football League.