WORK on plans for a new village shop, post office and hotel bedrooms in an old building in the centre of Aylburton has had to start by shaving a yard off its A48 frontage.
Traffic lights have been in operation while scaffolding has been in place for the work, now almost complete, and the next stage will be installing windows in keeping with what was once known as the Old Brewery next to The George Inn.
"We had to shorten the road end of the building to allow visibility from the George's car park," said Andrew Baber, who is masterminding the conversion.
"We are ordering stone mullioned windows and we hope to have attractive leaded lights.
"After that we hope to re-roof the building using the same stone tiles as the church. We have already dug out what used to be the air raid shelter, which will make a small courtyard.
"Inside the oak beams are in good condition and will just be rubbed lightly back. And we have ordered some four-poster beds in solid wood which are surplus to requirements in a Disney hotel in America to put in the nine bedrooms we are creating."
Once this stage of the work is complete he hopes to move on to the next – building a series of gables along the roof to allow the attic space to be used.