PLANS have been revealed to bring to bring one of Swindon's best-known pubs back to life.

The Cricketers in the Railway Village has been closed for four years but is the subject of a new scheme announced by the Mechanics' Institution Trust.

The trust has leased the Grade II listed building and is now working on an extensive project that – if successful – will see it include a shop, visitor centre and a B&B.

Announcing the new on Facebook, the Trust said: “We’re pleased to report that today we signed a lease to take on the Cricketers in the Railway Village which has sat disused for several years.

“A condition survey will now commence which will determine the level of restoration needed to bring the building back into use.

“”We expect a significant amount of funds will need to be secured in order to achieve this and we can’t be sure how long this might take, however we will be working hard to ensure this can happen as soon as possible.”

Speaking about the plans, chairman of the trust David Thackaray, said: “I think this is a great opportunity.

“The trust has been interested in this for a while and it’s sad to see a building like this in a bad state.

“We will have a programme of bringing it back to life.

“Essential repairs will be carried out and we will commission historic building surveys which will start in the next few weeks.

“After that we will have a programme of restoration.

“The current plan is to convert the old bar into a small shop, use the room next to the bar as a small railway village visitor centre and add a bed and breakfast upstairs.”

The historic building, which has been closed since October 2015, used to be a thriving pub and sits on a corner on Emlyn Square.

David was reluctant to put a timescale on its reincarnation.

He said: “Currently we don’t know what the costs will be but it will be a considerable amount to bring it back to life.

“Once the surveys have been commissioned and we know what’s needed from the reports, we will begin to outline the works and the costs.

“Whilst all the surveys are being carried out we can get on with making the place better and bringing life back to Emlyn Square.

“When we have tackled all of the issues, which could take a couple of years, our vision of a revitalised Emlyn Square and Railway Village will be a reality.”

In June, Swindon Borough Council and Historic England launched a Heritage Action Zone to protect and revitalise the Railway Village, an area of Victorian housing and institutional buildings centred around the railway station and lines.

The five-year scheme will bring heritage expertise and £1.6 million of funding from Historic England.

As well as the Cricketers, the scheme will see other neglected buildings such as the Carriage Works and the Health Hydro revitalised.