Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Machynlleth restoration project, hidden in plain sight.

Many wouldn’t notice the Hen Stablau building – nestled behind stone walls on the main road through the town, the former Victorian stable was at one point almost sold by the town council.

Instead, work has now started on what is estimated to become a £2.5 million project aimed at restoring the building to its former glory and bringing crucial revenue to the council and town.

The plan is to transform the building into a 36-bed lodge for visitor accommodation, with space to host events.

It is expected to earn £250,000 a year from housing alone, with an estimated additional income of £250,000 for the town.

According to Charlie Falzon and Shelagh Hourahane, enthusiastic volunteers turned salaried project managers, it was crucial that the final product made money, as the building has been a financial drain since it closed as a private residence around 2007.

The last person to live there full-time was the Londonderry family dog ​​handler, meaning the property is classed as a domestic dwelling for which the council pays tax, in addition to heavy insurance for the listed building Grade II.

The council struggled to keep it secure as vandals scratched the interior and damaged its contents, stealing lead, copper cables and the clock’s outer face.

Charlie, project manager in charge of fundraising, said: “The city was paying for a crumbling ruin.

“We are going to turn this liability into a half-million pound revenue stream for the town.

“Event organizers have already expressed interest in running courses here and when the land is restored it will be an attractive wedding venue.” »

Workers have already almost finished securing the roof which required stripping and covering it.

A new structure built outside the stables is to become a bicycle store and bat shelter, to house the rare large and lesser horseshoe bats that have been the stable’s most recent tenants.

The building’s masonry from the 1840s is also being restored, with grouting work already visible on the exterior façade.

The second phase of work, for which the team is currently seeking funding, will consist of carrying out the internal works, with the aim of completing “the majority” of the work by autumn 2026, “if everything goes as planned “.

This will involve retaining the features of the building, retaining everything from the stone floors of the stable, converting the wooden partitions of the stable into bedrooms and even reusing the old feed troughs.

Simon Morpeth, a former town councilor who worked with Cllr Andy Tack to prevent the building from being auctioned in 2018, said: “We didn’t want it to be destroyed, it is part of the town’s heritage.

“We managed to do a feasibility study on what to do with it.

“We thought it would be a great dormitory for cyclists and walkers, an ideal point on the coastal path, Sustrans 81 and 82 cycle routes, in a location with little affordable accommodation for 20 miles.”