IT was supposed to be the centrepiece of a Southampton community.

But the future of the Eastpoint Centre in Thornhill is still up in the air – even though it is under new management.

Landlords, Plus You Limited (PYL), have officially taken control of the £10.5million building weeks after it closed amid crippling debts of £150,000.

But there is still no sign of a buyer and PYL staff said no decisions have been made on what happens next.

Speaking at a Thornhill Community Voices meeting, PYL community co-ordinator Mike Allot said: “The administrators have left the site and Plus You have taken over the building.

“The board is still in the process of working to find the best possible solution, not for PYL or Eastpoint but for everybody in Thornhill.

“There will be more information to come but the situation is we have the building and are responsible for its bills and everything that goes along with it. The building is still there and it is not going anywhere at the moment.”

Meanwhile night-time security has been stepped up after the building was unsuccessfully targeted by burglars in the past few weeks.

Mr Allot added: “People have tried to break into the centre so we have security there at night to prevent this.”

Plans were in place to auction centre’s furniture, fixtures and fittings, to raise money for more than 30 creditors.

But as reported by the Daily Echo, Itchen College stepped in to stop it being stripped bare by purchasing its contents for around £200,000, including plasma televisions, laptops, tables and even its kitchen sinks.

It gave administrators Baker Tilly more time to find a buyer but so far no one has come forward.

As previously reported, 23 Eastpoint Centre staff lost their jobs when it closed on January 22 after it was deemed no longer financially viable to keep open.

It was built in 2001 and initial plans to develop a new Itchen College next door eventually collapsed.