Take a step back in time in new luxury Market Place serviced-apartments

FANCY treating yourself to some rest and recuperation in a luxury holiday apartment? Well look no further than Melksham, as two newly renovated apartments have opened for business in the Market Place!

Urban Lofts – located above the Market Lounge in the Market Place – are two new apartments owned by Sue and Paul, which have been lovingly renovated by the pair, with several nods to the building’s rich history.

The apartments have been named after two ladies who lived and worked on the site in the late 1800s – Ms. Butler and Ms. Worsey; and some of the materials used for the renovations reveal long forgotten secrets about the building.

“One of the early owners of the building was a Captain Edward Bush and his wife,” explains Sue. “He was the local dentist – and they had the first car in Melksham.

“When the lofts were being stripped for restoration, spars from a ship’s hull were found in the attic space – Captain Bush used his contacts to obtain timber when wooden ships were decommissioned! 

“So we reutilised a lot of the original timber, which was lovingly incorporated back into the building – some of the wood used for the headboard in the Butler apartment’s bedroom is part of the old boat.

“And we’ve also re-used a lot of the original wood and materials we found in the lofts, such as the beams, which probably date back to the early 1800s. We’ve tried to use as much as the ‘old’ as possible by upcycling.”

Renovation of the apartments has been a true labour of love for the couple – Sue’s connection to the building and the neighbouring buildings on the site, goes back decades.

Her grandmother, Eliza Townsend, ran a bric-a-brac shop from the former stable block of the property. And her parents Alan and Iris Jaffray, first met there as children during World War Two, before years later opening their antiques business next door, A & I Jaffray Antiques – which is still going strong now.

“I grew up here,” said Sue. “In the 1960s the apartments were part of the dining area of the pub. And when my parents got married, they had their reception in the room that is now the Butler apartment.”

“There’s so much family history here for me, so it really was an emotional purchase when we took over the building.

“The whole site used to be under one ownership when it was built in the 1700s – and then over the years  it gradually split up. 

“It’s been the Labour club, a steakhouse, the Navy Tavern, the Market Tavern – it’s been many different things. We just decided when it came back on the market that it was an opportunity to get it all back under one ownership.”

The Urban Lofts opened in mid-April when Covid  restrictions allowed, and visitors have already left rave reviews.

“The reviews that we have been getting have been brilliant,” said Sue. “People say it’s so nice they don’t want to go out! And one  review said it should be entered for a design award.

“The apartments have an eclectic look – I really like mixing the old with the new, and I’ve tried to make it feel really rustic and unusual. We’ve spared no expense – these are high-end renovations.”

Each apartment has been tastefully decorated to the highest of standards, with the finest attention to detail – visitors will find exposed original beams, original brick and bath stone walls and a selection of matching decorations to bring it all together.

The furnished and serviced apartments are available for short-term use, seven days a week, throughout the year – and Sue says they are ideal for visitors to the area, or for anyone local wanting to spoil themselves or someone they love.

“Most of our visitors are coming from London and up north – Melksham is such a good area to access all the sights in the area – you have Stonehenge, Bath, Avebury, Salisbury, Lacock, the Kennet and Avon canal – there is so much to do in the area.

“But it’s not just for visitors to the area, if could be for anyone living locally. It’s a quiet space, we have insulated it very well, so you can’t hear anything going on in the Market Place – so it’s perfect for anyone wanting to take some time out to relax.

“Or if you want to get some Brownie points with your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, you can come here for the weekend – just because!”

For more information about the Urban Lofts, visit the website: www.theurbanlofts.co.uk

Pictured top: Sue and Paul in the Butler apartment at Urban Lofts. 

Above: an old photograph of how the area looked before the building of the Market Lounge pub.