'UNRESOLVED' financial issues could be the reason why a former popular tourist attraction still hasn't been snapped up.

After 12-months of being on the market, Bodelwyddan Castle is attracting a considerable amount of interest.

It is understood, however, that financial details which remain unresolved could act as a stumbling block in efforts to sell castle.

The gothic revival style country house, set within 200 acres including farmland, parkland and woodland along with a two bedroom house - St Asaph Lodge - was put up for sale with an asking price of £1million after Denbighshire County Council withdrew its £144,000 annual grant in 2017.

The National Portrait Gallery closed its exhibition of 130 paintings and although the gardens and parkland remained open for some time after, Bodelwyddan Castle Trust failed to come up with alternative ways of making it self-sufficient.

Colin Jennings, director of Lambert Smith Hampton who are handling the sale, said: "We have had a number of offers including one from a gentleman in France who was looking to use it as a private residence.

"The first floor could quite easily be converted into residential quarters.”

The castle cannot become a hotel because a covenant with Warner Leisure Hotels, who run the adjacent four-star hotel.

Others have considered establishing a wedding venue or reintroducing an educational use.

Mr Jennings said he was aware that some financial issues were yet to be resolved with the county council.

The first castle on the site was built in about 1460 before it was rebuilt in the 1830s.

The Grade II-listed building was a hospital for wounded soldiers in World War I and then a girls’ school known as Lowther College from 1920 to 1982, when it was bought by Denbighshire County Council.

The authority holds the freehold to the hotel site and a council spokesman said it had not been sold to Warner Leisure.

“There have been no discussions since the lockdown started and we cannot comment on any progress with discussions with interested parties at this stage,” he added.