An ill-fated store that closed its doors for good last year after being in Swindon for 50 years has been transformed into something completely different. 

Swindon Pulse Wholefoods, a natural ingredients store on Curtis Street, shut permanently on March 26 due to what was described as an 'inability to compete with supermarkets and financial issues exacerbated by the Covid pandemic'. 

It had remained closed and unused since then, but not long after Rishi Sunak's rain-drenched election announcement finished, a new function for the town centre building had been revealed. 

But now Labour's general election hopeful for South Swindon, Heidi Alexander, has transformed the former store into a campaign office which she will be using to co-ordinate her efforts for the next six weeks until the country goes to the polls on July 4. 

Ms Alexander shared a picture of the building which has been painted and adorned with graphics, including a shop sign which says "Heidi Alexander for South Swindon".

She said: "We’re ready - very ready! New campaign centre will be open from Monday."

Before it closed, Pulse Wholefoods had operated in the town for decades

At the time of its closure, a spokesperson said: "In 1976, when whole was one word and food another, idealistic Lower Shaw Farm residents and workers who wanted to make the world a better, healthier, and more environment-friendly place, drove a Morris Minor van into Swindon daily and, parked at the top of Commercial Road near the Library, sold pulses and wholefoods from the back of it.

"Enough inquisitive and like-minded Swindonians bought these wholefoods for Swindon Pulse Wholefoods to be born and move into short-term premises at the bottom of Curtis Street.

"In due course, in the early 1980s, when business was almost booming and larger more long-term premises were needed, they found a very friendly landlord who provided a lovely shop space for them at 27 Curtis Street.

"Now, their time is over. Their location and service has been overtaken by 21st-century selling methods and prices."

The Labour candidate will be vying for the seat currently held by Conservative MP Sir Robert Buckland, who is now approaching his fifth election. 

The Green Party candidate is Rod Hebden.

The Lib Dems have not announced a candidate yet and the Reform Party recently deselected its original candidate, with no replacement declared.