“What a horrible building” – Firm has grand plans for derelict Manchester House

With £5 million being spent on Caerphilly Castle to attract more visitors, a new railway station proposed and plans for a new market space, the development of Caerphilly town seems to have a bit of momentum.

But there is one prime property in the centre that is often derided as an eyesore. However two brothers from Bedwas have now taken on the major project of renovating Manchester House to return the building back to former glories.

Josh and Sam Jones started SJR Developments with their father Richard back in 2018 with a single property and have taken it from a part-time venture to a full-time career.

In February this year they bought Manchester House from its former owner Jatinder Khehra.

Sam, 26, explained: “I have passed it everyday for the last eight years and thought ‘what a horrible building – something needs to be done’.”

The property, on the corner of Van Road and Clifton Street, already has planning permission for four first floor flats with the retention of the commercial space downstairs.

Since they began, the duo have taken on and developed around 20 residential properties, doing them up and selling them on, but Manchester House represents a change in direction for the pair.

Josh, 30, who has a background in environmental consulting, said: “This project probably means the most to us. It will be our first commercial property and the first one we’ll keep.

“When we let the commercial space, I would love a small local business to have it on a long-term lease. We want to restore it to something that we can be proud of and something the town can be proud of too.”

They have their work cut out.

While the building, which used to be a fashion shop and latterly a furniture store, is structurally sound with solid walls and a steel frame, it needs to be totally gutted and fitted with a new roof.

Josh and Sam have applied to Caerphilly County Borough Council for a grant via the Welsh Government’s Targeted Regeneration Urban Centre Fund.

Nearby Brew Monster, on Lon Y Twyn, was granted £180,000 in March last year from the same pot of money to transform an old Plumbsave centre into a micro-brewery.

The wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly though and they have yet to hear whether their application has been successful. While indications are promising, the brothers have said they are committed to the project whatever the outcome and hope to start work in the new year.