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Working with Gloucester City Council and Marketing Gloucester, local property developer Chance Malone has offered them the ground and first floors of the Grade I-listed Old Judges House at 26 Westgate Street, next to Gloucester Cathedral.

He bought the timber-framed 16th century building with a Georgian frontage last year and the property is undergoing a major refurbishment.

The centre's dealers who have to vacate their current premises by November 19.

The Peel Group, owners of the Gloucester Quays Outlet Centre, and the centre's landlords since 2009, remain tightlipped about the controversial closure which affects 17 staff members, including Stephen Zacaroli, the centre's manager.

Neither Zacaroli nor Richard Rawlings, the outlet centre's manager were able to elaborate on the closure. Rawlings told ATG that he was unable to comment "while undergoing a consultation process with the antiques centre team".

Jason Pullen, managing director of Peel Outlets, said: "Gloucester Quays has already invested a significant amount of money in the antiques centre but there is no viable alternative location and the business continues to make significant losses."

Ephemera dealer Minette Cant has been a dealer at the centre for more than 30 years, from when it was at Lock Warehouse on the North Quays.

She is very positive about their move to the Old Judges House, saying: "It is a beautiful building on five floors and Mr Malone, who has very deep pockets, already has teams of conservation people working there. He is very enthusiastic about having an antiques centre at the Old Judges House and we hope to be in by Christmas." She added: "The Peel Group have offered to pay for any storage of stock between moves."

Malone told ATG: "The Old Judges House is a very beautiful 16th century building and will compliment well the antiques centre as will the tourist information centre is planned here.'' He added that he should be able to reduce the costs traders were paying at the Quays.

Cllr Peter James, leader of Gloucester City Council said: "We are delighted to have played a role in saving one of the city's visitor attractions and helped to keep many small traders in business."