THE community access point (CAP) in Clackmannan will close at the end of next month, but locals are hoping to bridge the gap with a new hub.

People in the village will have to travel into the Speirs Centre in Alloa for things like paying bills when Clackmannanshire Council stops operating the service.

The move to bring an end to the CAP has been on the table for a while due to usages levels and the decision was officially taken as part of the budget setting process in March.

However, the Clackmannan Town Hall Trust hope to take on the building and will offer a range of alternative services in a bid to bring the community together.

The local authority will withdraw the CAP on Friday, September 28 and work is still underway to determine when the voluntary group could take it on.

But, when it does, the idea is to provide a space for locals to go where they can engage in activities, seek help and beat potential social isolation.

Beth Corkish, project officer, said: "It's a cafe for people to come and meet and socialise because there isn't anything like that in Clackmannan currently.

"Whether you just use it for for the cafe, or you use it because there's maybe activities going on, or book groups or craft groups going on, there will be something for everybody to kind of get the benefit of."

The group will draw on money provided for regeneration in the area, which coincided with a community action plan.

One of the main drivers of the project is to make sure the building on the Main Street, which is joined with the town hall, doesn't end up lying derelict.

Beth said a key concern for people is that there might not be any access to computers, something the hub would like to be able to provide.

The intention of the long-term project is to offer something for cyclists as well as something which preserves local history, could facilitate a small book-sharing service and, generally, a place for people to go.

And while Beth recognises it is "frustrating" and "difficult" for people to witness the loss of their services, the team hope to create something positive out of it.

She said: "We are trying to make the best of what we have got here and we have this money allocated for a project like this, so it's a really good opportunity for people to get onboard."

A community update meeting will be held in Clackmannan Town Hall on Wednesday, September 5, at 7pm for those who would like to find out more.