Plan to turn troubled Melksham pub into hostel revealed

The Unicorn on Bath Road in Melksham is being marketed for £199,999 with an unusual condition that prospective buyers must be a registered charity capable of transforming the building into accommodation, training and employment opportunities for people in need.

Owner Edward Toomer, of Four County Inns, said he is prepared to take a loss on the long-derelict property because he wants it to become a project that gives people a second chance.

"It's my choice. I'm the owner," he said. "I wanted it to go to a charity.

"We'd like to give a stable background to ex-offenders. They can build on their life and make a difference.

"My idea was to make it a hostel of some sort. They can have a stable life and move on."

Mr Toomer said he hopes homeless people and former prisoners could live at the site while learning skills and undertaking renovation work.

The pub comes with a garden area at the rear. (Image: Rightmove)

"I was thinking that the homeless can go there and live on site, and they could operate their business from it," he said.

"Providing literacy and numeracy skills is important to us.

"There's 600 homes being built opposite and the jobs could come from those residing there."

The Rightmove listing says the building is being offered "to give hope to those in need through shelter, education, training and work".

It adds that preference will be given to a charity able to provide "shelter, education and skills training", with renovation work potentially carried out by former inmates as part of training programmes.

The long-vacant site has been secured. (Image: Rightmove)

The three-storey property, which was most recently used as a Japanese and Malaysian restaurant and bar, requires extensive repairs despite utility services having been reconnected.

Mr Toomer said a previous proposal to convert the building into a children's nursery fell through because the restoration costs proved too high.

"The building needs a lot of work and there's a lot of costs," he said.

"After the nursery fell through, the project was becoming so costly and not viable.

"We'll be taking a loss anyway."

The sale comes after years of problems at the site, which while vacant, is currently secure.

As previously reported, police discovered more than 200 cannabis plants inside the derelict building in March 2023 after receiving reports of a suspected burglary.

Later that year, in November 2023, two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire broke out in the kitchen area on the ground floor.

Four County Inns Ltd has completed some work at the property, including clearing almost 25 tons of cannabis farming residue, fire damaged materials and more from the site.

Four County Inns has cleared around 25 tonnes of cannabis-growing equipment, fire-damaged materials and other waste from the site. (Image: Rightmove)

Plans have also previously been outlined to split the former pub into three dwellings and a micropub, although the latest listing instead focuses on finding a charity partner capable of bringing the building back into use.

Mr Toomer, who says he has been rescuing distressed pubs and shops since 1993, believes a community-focused scheme is now the best chance of securing the property's future.

The site comes with five parking spaces, and the listing states the kitchen and bathroom on the first floor are in an acceptable condition.

Full access to all of our articles online and on the app, fewer adverts, a better reading experience, exclusive competitions and more - all for less than the price of a cup of coffee. ☕️Subscribe now! - https://t.co/t7A1ayW7mR pic.twitter.com/Dk1fvaFm1K

— Wiltshire Times (@wiltshiretimes) April 13, 2026

Mr Toomer said Wiltshire Council Listed Building and Building Control consent would need to be obtained before works could start.

"If you can find people that want to stay there, that is much better," he said.

"I don't want to see no end in sight."