The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 4: Summer 2017 | Page 7

Cover Story:
WIDCOMBE SOCIAL
CLUB UP FOR
NATIONAL AWARD
Widcombe Social Club has been shortlisted
in the national Housing Design Awards
2017, following its recent regeneration.
This important site in the heart of the village, was a
four-year long, £5M joint venture between Iesis Group
and Widcombe Social Club, involving the delivery of
a new community social club and mixed-use student
led development. The original low rise building was
demolished and replaced with one more befitting of the
area.
Iesis Group worked on the project from inception,
writing the planning application, appointing professionals
and contractors and securing local business input. They
also arranged pre-letting the new supermarket and
oversaw the delivery and interaction with the club for their
new facility.
Iesis director, Iestyn Lewis said: “We adopted a
staged delivery to suit the logistical and delivery issues
experienced with a very busy corner plot, right in Bath
city centre. The old building had sign ificant issues with
water ingress and asbestos. Part of the Iesis proposal
was to generate seed investment to build the new club,
generating support from local residents.
“Due to its prominent location within the Bath
Conservation Area and World Heritage Site, the design
and materials had to be of a high quality to meet the local
authority’s aspirations. This presented a design challenge
for Stride Treglown, the architects, as there were three
distinct characters they needed to respond to.”
The brief was to ensure the high street elevation was
in keeping with the predominantly Georgian context. To
accommodate this, Ashlar Bath stone was used. And on
the second elevation, a rubble stone plinth was used to
articulate the way the building ‘steps up’ the hill. The third
characteristic the architects had to consider was the semi-
rural, waterside setting. To complement this, the roofing
materials used are typical of those used in a dockside
development, predominantly timber and rubble, giving an
industrial feel.
Now complete, the mixed-use scheme provides 40
en-suite student beds, a supermarket and a modern
club facility. Iesis Group and all those involved in the
project eagerly await the results of the Housing Design
Awards that take place in London on July 10. Up against
high-profile developments in London and top industry
players, the winner will be championed for their skill and
innovation.
To find out more about the Housing and Design Awards
visit: www.hdawards.org
Visit Widcombe Social Club online:
www.widcombesocialclub.co.uk
And for more about Iesis go to: www.iesis.net
EXPERT ADVISERS
Of owner managed businesses,
private individuals and their families
Get in touch for fresh ideas
11 Laura Place, Bath, BA2 4BL | 01225 325580
www.richardsonswift.co.uk
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017
7