Residents and business owners heard a minimum £ 175,000 revamp of an Eden village youth hostel would ensure its future was viable and would save it from closure, reports Victoria Clark.

But Dufton villagers were warned that if money for the makeover could not be obtained from funding bodies, it was unlikely the Youth Hostel Association would change its earlier decision to sell the building off.

As previously reported, earlier this year the YHA decided to close and sell ten hostels, including Dufton, which lies on the Pennine Way, in a bid to claw back £5 million lost income sustained by the charity during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Following a wave of protest from villagers who claimed Dufton's other businesses would suffer if the hostel closed, the YHA agreed to put the sale on hold so an independent feasibility study could be carried out into the future of the hostel.

This week, villagers were invited to a public meeting to discuss the recommendations of the report, which concluded visitor numbers could double over the next five years if at least £175,000 - possibly up to £205,000 if VAT needed to be paid - was spent on upgrading and redeveloping the accommodation.

Once revamped, the study stated the hostel would attract more families and school or educational study groups, as well as increased numbers of walkers and cyclists.

YHA North West area manager Bob Barnby said refurbishment plans were being worked on, with proposals including dividing up dormitories into smaller bedroom units, with better shower and toilet facilities, and an enhanced kitchen.

He said the YHA would then put the work out to tender and start lobbying for money, primarily from the Rural Action Zone and the Cumbria Rural Development Pro-gramme.

"The decision was deferred and this study was carried out which gives a clear message that Dufton Youth Hostel does have a viable future if we put the money in," said Mr Barnby.

"We must now find that funding to make it a reality."