Apsley House sold to developer planning restaurants and cafes

Property developer Arthur Dallimer proposed transforming Apsley House into a 90-seat indoor and outdoor restaurant, a 30-seat cafe, a co-work space, and five retail units.

He sent this idea to Swindon Borough Council last December after the local authority put the property for sale on the open market. It received more than 150 supportive messages from business leaders, interest groups and members of the public.

What Apsley House in Swindon could look like if plans are approved (Image: Arthur Dallimer)

Before that, community organisations had the chance to bid on it, but no bids came forward and South Swindon Parish Council said it would not be able to afford to spend £1.1m to bring the building back into use.

If Mr Dallimer's plans are approved by Swindon Borough Council's planning committee, the new development could be open for use as early as next year.

He said: “I am overwhelmed to have gained so much public support and subsequently being awarded the sale.

"My task now is to get my design into planning within two to three months, and get approval from the council and interested parties like English Heritage, which have to be consulted on the listed building.

“I will, however, move quickly to enable this development, and the community has my commitment to achieving planning, completing the restoration and development, and finding the best mix of independent tenants, while protecting the existing tenants’ lease arrangements.

“As I’m Swindon born, this building has been a key part of my childhood, as it has been for many Swindon residents.

"I’m excited to be bringing it back to life and for the community to use as a commercial space.”

The historic building, on the corner of Bath Road and Victoria Road, closed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic because its split levels and limited capacity made social distancing difficult - and unaffordably high maintenance costs kept it shut.

Swindon's collection of exhibits and artwork has been moved to the Civic Offices in Euclid Street and should be available to view later this year.

This will be the SMAG's new site for the foreseeable future, until a new museum is built in the town centre's Cultural Quarter.

Chair of the Old Town Business Association, Richard Deacon, said: "This is a historic moment for Old Town.

"We’ve not seen a development and restoration like this in years and the site will clearly be a beacon for the future of Old Town.

"The association heavily supported Arthur’s plans and we will continue to work with him to help attract independent operators and ensure that it becomes a seamless addition to the successful business community of Old Town.”

The local authority's cabinet member for finance, Cllr Keith Williams, said: “Apsley House is a much-loved building and I am really excited to see Mr Dallimer’s development come forward.

“He put forward an incredibly strong bid - not just in terms of the price offered, but also for his vision for the site which was strongly supported by the local community.

“I look forward to seeing Apsley House brought back to life and it would be fantastic to see this popular corner of Old Town bustling with activity in the future.”

Kris Talikowski, who sits on the Switch On to Swindon board, added: "Swindon’s heritage assets are a constant challenge due to the scale and amount of work needed for restoration, the fact that most are privately owned, and finding developers with the capital to invest in the sites.

“I am extremely encouraged that the council is taking a community-supported step forward with Apsley House. What a great result for Old Town, but also for Swindon too.”