At 12.30pm today, the New Mechanics’ website goes LIVE!

Our chair Paul Bearne, who is also the Trust’s ICT Wizard, will take the plunge, and push the button to launch the site globally.

At the same time, the Trust will open the doors of its temporary premises in the Former GWR Railway Museum in Faringdon Road, at a central Swindon crossroads. And in the spirit of Midsummer Madness, an artwork entitled “Take the Plunge” will show off the many dimensions of the Mechanics’ achievements — past, present and future.

The exhibition is really a ‘work in progress’ inspired by the building itself, which has had so many incarnations over 150 years of history. First opened as an unsuccessful hostel for single railwaymen, it was fundamentally rebuilt as a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, and played that role well for 90 years. Further alterations in 1960-62 permitted the exhibition of gleaming GWR engines until 2000. The dusty outlines of the various nameplates can still be seen silhouetted on the walls, among the Victorian pointed arch windows.

The Trust has a temporary license from Swindon Borough Council to use the office wing of the former Museum on a short-term basis until the building’s future is determined. For the month of July, the exhibition hall will be open daily from noon to 2pm for visitors to the exhibition, and supporters who wish to discuss the future of the Mechanics’ Institution or other cherished local landmarks.

WE HOPE TO WELCOME AS MANY VISITORS AS POSSIBLE!
SEE YOU THERE!

This week, we have mostly been trying to work out whether a sale of the Mechanics’ to a new owner has really been completed. We are also puzzling what he has in mind for future uses. 2 articles in the ADVER have given us reason to worry that he really doesn’t have any ideas that would move things forward.

PLANNING APPLICATION FOR COMMUNIY USES
The Trust has therefore decided to submit a Planning Application to Swindon Borough Council, for the uses we have developed over the years with our Members, and Swindon people. See our proposed plans in the Proposals section. It is entirely legal to apply for planning permission for property you don’t own, as a way of establishing the basis for a purchase. We have not done so before because the fee is so high. Now that we have the bequest from Dave Backhouse, we will be able to cover that fee.

MARKET RESEARCH
Our Market Study has been received in draft from Great Western Enterprise, and we are re-working the figures towards a final draft. Both options explored in detail look as if they could well be viable (to us that means ‘in the black’ on an annual basis), although with a tight margin for error. The work that is being done now is in order to tighten up the figures, so we can be more confident in the projections of income and expenditure. The picture is hopeful, and we expect the work to be completed in 2 weeks time. Then we will submit an application to the Heritage Lottery fund, and do some consumer research while we are waiting for several months for their response.