ONE of Chard’s most prominent historic buildings should be transformed into a hotel to attract more visitors to the town, according to a local resident.

Boden Mill will be regenerated by South Somerset District Council as part of its Chard regeneration scheme – the first stage of which will deliver a new swimming pool and leisure centre for the town.

Mike Hone – who campaigned to keep the town’s original pool open – said the building should be turned into a hotel, believing it would increase footfall for local businesses and create jobs.

The council has said it will investigate how viable such a proposal would be.

Mr Hone first raised the issue on September 3, when the council’s regulation committee met in Chard to approve plans for the new pool.

Mr Hone was a member of the Kingfisher Community Group which attempted to take over the Cresta pool near Holyrood Academy, after Somerset County Council announced it could no longer afford to run it.

Speaking on Tuesday (September 10), he said: “I’ve been having a lot of conversations about this over the last few weeks.

“If the Chard regeneration is going to happen, let’s make it the best it can be.”

The council’s current thinking is to turn the ground floor of Boden Mill into a “cultural and public sector hub” – but Mr Hone is convinced a hotel would be of greater benefit to the town.

Mr Hone said: “If that was a hotel, like a Travelodge or a Premier Inn, it would bring people into the town centre.

“It would increase footfall for local businesses and create employment.

“Chard is quite an interesting place to come to – there’s a lot of great history around here with our links to powered flight, artificial limbs and lace. And we are well-located for access to the Blackdown Hills and the coast.”

Premier Inn currently operates hotels in Yeovil and Honiton on the A30, as well as two in Taunton and one in Bridgwater.

Travelodge operates a hotel in Ilminster, as well as one each in Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington.

Phase one of the Chard regeneration scheme will begin in October with the demolition of existing buildings on Silver Street to make way for the new pool.

Construction of these facilities will begin in January 2020, with the project expected to be completed by the summer of 2021.

The council said that any decisions over the future use of Boden Mill would come forward under phase two of the scheme.

A spokesman said: “The project team will explore the suggestion of the hotel to determine if it is a viable use.

“We are currently engaging with agents now to understand the demand for commercial space in Chard. There is no time-frame on when this work will be completed.

“We are currently working with Homes England to understand the viability of residential development on the mill site.”