THE building in Malton where Charles Dickens set his famous classic A Christmas Carol is set to close unless £2,000 can be raised in the next six months.

The blow has come because the Charles Dickens (Malton) Society, set up to promote Scrooge’s counting house made famous in the story, has failed to raise the funds to continue leasing the Chancery Lane office from the Fitzwilliam Estate.

Linda McCarthy, the secretary of the society, said: “All we want is for 100 people to give us £20 each. We had an open day but there was little support.”

The building has remained relatively unchanged since 1843, when Dickens wrote the story using the offices of his friend, Charles Smithson, a solicitor, after visiting him there several times.

Mrs McCarthy, a former headteacher, said Dickens had told the Smithson family the idea for Scrooge’s office came from the Chancery Lane premises. One of its features is the impressive door knocker of a lion’s head, which has been replicated in the many films and television productions of the Christmas story.

The closing of the counting house, which was used as an accountant’s store for many years until it was taken over by the society, is a blow, not only to its enthusiastic members, but also to the town of Malton, said Mrs McCarthy.

The 30-plus members of the society have been so dedicated to the cause they have been opening the counting house each Saturday over the last few months.

“We will have put in about £1,000 of our contributions,” she added.

The members have also toured a wide area giving talks about Dickens and their aspirations for the counting house, as well as about life in Victorian times, with extracts from Dickens’ stories being presented by Brian Oxberry in costume.

Dickens visited Malton several times and attended Smithson’s funeral at St Mary’s Priory, Old Malton, resulting in him staying in the town for some time afterwards.

Smithson lives on, however, in Dickens’ David Copperfield, as Mr Spendor.

Despite the blow in having to tell the Fitzwilliam Estate it will have to quit the building next April because it is unable to pay the rent, the estate has said it would be happy to extend the lease if funds are found.

Roddy Bushell, manager of the Fitzwilliam Estate, said: “The estate has supported, both financially and in spirit, the Dickens Society’s opening of a visitor attraction at Dickens House. If there is sufficient support we hope the tenancy will be renewed next year.”