The Great Western Hotel on the south (down) side of Taunton Station, is to reopen as a hotel after being purchased by Somerset Coast YMCA. There will be 20 en suite rooms, conference and meeting facilities, a cafe and restaurant. There will also be ten business units for small businesses and start-ups.
Some of the funding for this project has been secured from the Hinkley C nuclear power station build's
Community Impact Mitigation fund. Other sources of funding include a capital loan from Taunton Deane Borough Council and grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Rail Heritage Trust.
Staffing of the hotel will be provided by a training and skills partnership delivering 10 new jobs, 12 apprenticeships, 10 traineeships and many volunteering opportunities. Staff accommodation will also be provided in the hotel's former stables.
I think this is an excellent piece of news, bringing an important facility to one of Taunton's gateways. Providing training and opportunity to young people, and securing the future of an important grade II listed building that has been vacant for many years. Returning the building to its original use after being used by a waste management company, and previously as the offices of
BR▸ 's district engineers.
Sympathetic restoration is being carried out LHC architects:
http://www.lhc.net/projects/great-western-hotel-restoration/News item from the Somerset County Gazette on the project and its funding:
https://goo.gl/3mj9aBMore on the funding:
https://www.investtaunton.co.uk/news/council-proposes-to-support-ymca-project/On a personal note, I have a lot of respect for YMCA Somerset Coast. During a particularly dark period in my mid twenties they were there for me and helped me rebuild my life. We're it not for them I may not be here today. The support and housing they provided help me find my feet after some poor life choices. They were non-judgemental, and, importantly for me, small 'c' christian.
I wish YMCA Somerset Coast every success with this venture.
