Project Update, The Lodge

It’s been over a year since we announced the acquisition of our 5th building in Bournemouth and a lot has been going on behind the scenes since (not just a global pandemic!).

The Lodge, 6 St Michaels Road, was built by the Freemasons in the 1800’s and has since been used as a Ski Shop and a soft play centre. This tucked away, ornate architectural building in the heart of Bournemouth triangle, is grade II listed and has suffered years of neglect and water ingress. The roof and integral ceiling had fallen into a serious state of disrepair which had threatened so many of the historical elements of the building.

The scope of work required on this building is the largest and most challenging project Venaspace has ever taken on. Our consultancy team of architects, heritage specialists and structural engineers have worked hard over the last 12 months to put plans in place, along with the local authority, to honour the heritage of this building, but also to add a new modern lease of life and extend the life of this spectacular building.

Our plan is to transform The Lodge into a brand new business centre, with mezzanines floors in the offices to utilise the double height in the halls and provide a Members Hub and Coworking Space on the lower ground floor, set with a bar, meeting spaces and everything you would expect from a Venaspace Members Hub.

And the most exciting news is, we are finally about to “break ground” with the start of construction. In the coming weeks, a specialist heritage consultancy will be using 3D scanners to record every detail of the ornate ceiling in the main hall ready for it to be reproduced. The Lodge will then be ready for a brand new ceiling and roof which will finally make the structure watertight. It’s certainly not going to be an easy project, but we can’t wait to get started.