Former Beacon pub ready for new life as community hub
The former Beacon pub in South Ham, Basingstoke, has reached an important milestone, with SNG completing refurbishment work to transform the building into an interim community facility for local residents.
We welcomed councillors from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC), together with Nicky Blunden from Westside Community Association and its trustees, to visit the Beacon and view the transformation.
We've invested approximately £500,000 to bring the building back into use, transforming the former pub into a flexible community space that will provide a base for local activities, services and support once operated by Westside Community Association.
Once the lease agreement is finalised, Westside Community Association will take on the building and lead the delivery of a range of activities, services and community initiatives designed to benefit local people. Alongside this, the Beacon will serve as a local base for our housing and repairs teams, strengthening SNG's presence in the community and providing residents with improved access to local support and services.
The visit marked a significant step forward in bringing a vacant building back into productive use and creating new opportunities for residents to connect, access support and take part in community activities.
Sarah Fordham, Head of Community Engagement at SNG, said: "Seeing the Beacon ready for its next chapter is a significant milestone for the community. Our investment of around £500,000 has created a flexible space that can now be shaped by and for local people."
"At SNG, we're committed to putting residents first and creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive. This project is about more than the building itself. It's about investing in the people who live here and creating opportunities for stronger community connections, improved wellbeing and activities that make a real difference locally."
"As work continues to shape the future of Buckskin and South Ham, projects such as the Beacon demonstrate our commitment to supporting communities now, while laying the foundations for the long-term regeneration of the area. While we've completed the refurbishment, the real transformation will happen when Westside Community Association takes on the space and brings it to life for residents."
Nicky Blunden, Centre Manager at Westside Community Association, said: "It's fantastic to see how much the building has been transformed. This gives us a blank canvas and an opportunity to create a community-focused space shaped by local people. We're excited about the potential for the Beacon now to be renamed 'The Westside Beacon' and look forward to delivering activities and initiatives that bring residents together and support the wider community."
Cllr John McKay, Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said: "It was great to see the transformation of the former Beacon pub and the progress made to create a welcoming space for people of all ages to connect, after we bought the building’s freehold last year to help secure space for the Westside Community Association following the closure of its centre.”
"The building will provide an important base for community activities and support in South Ham. We look forward to seeing the community association welcome residents through its doors in the coming months."
The refurbishment of the Beacon reflects the shared ambition of partners to create opportunities, strengthen community connections and support residents as part of the wider vision for Buckskin and South Ham. Once operational, the facility will provide a base for community-led activities, services and events, helping ensure local people benefit from investment in the area both now and in the future pending the development of new permanent community facilities as part of wider regeneration plans.