The huge transformation inside one of Barry Island's most famous buildings (original) (raw)

The focus recently in the popular seaside town of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan has been the filming of the much-anticipated Christmas special of Gavin & Stacey, but that's not the only project that's been turning heads and causing local resident café chatter.

Along the seafront at Whitmore Bay there is a very special building dating back to the 1920s that stands out for its architecture and, for many visitors through the decades, for its ice creams and lure of seaside amusements.

The eye-catching art deco inspired Merrie Friars building has, over the decades, morphed itself into the changing world around it as it rode the rollercoaster from coastal hotspot to its slightly rundown state to being finally regenerated, having once been a dance hall, gym and amusement arcade.

It's a famous building in the town but also further afield, having regularly featured in Gavin & Stacey with the seafront being a key location for filming the popular TV show. It is also expected to play a role in the new Christmas special, which is currently being filmed and expected to air in December 2024. You can see the best pictures from filming here.

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Nicholas Gannon-Johns outside the building in 2023 (Image: Richard Swingler)

Through all those years of ups and downs in the town, there's one local man who could not keep away from becoming part of this landmark building's more recent story. Some people are intrinsically linked to a building, whether they realise it or not, and their lives become intersected with the property over and over again until property serendipity steps in and cements the lasting relationship. This is how it has been, and was probably always destined to be, for Barry-born Nicholas Gannon and the Merrie Friars building.

The property has been lurking within the background of Nicholas' life since he was a boy, calling him off the beach and fun in the sun to tempt him with a donut, ice cream, or sweets from the shops and then becoming the centre of his social life as a young man.

The main entrance in 2023 (Image: Richard Swingler)

Inside the gym area in 2023 (Image: Richard Swingler)

Nicholas, now 36, says: "That was my first connection to the building but I didn't really know the building well until I turned 18 and I used to go to the 2eze nightclub, it was the biggest club in Barry. It's where I used to spend almost every weekend, every Saturday, until I was about 21, and then I started training in the gym upstairs about 14 years ago for six days a week, so I know the building very, very well."

When the property became available to buy Nicholas could not deny his connection to the property and decided that the time was right to breathe new life into the grand old building by creating homes above the commercial ground floor that would have balconies to maximise the sea views on offer from its enviable frontline location.

CGI illustrates how the building will look from the front when the project has been completed (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

The elegant 1920s art deco façade has been lovingly restored back to its former glory (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

Nicholas says: "I think I can say I have a close and longstanding connection to the building; not only is it a special piece of architecture but its location on the prom overlooking the sea is second to none, so when the opportunity came up I knew I had to take it."

In 2023, an excited Nicholas picked up the keys to begin work and, via his company Oakwater Luxury Lifestyle Living Ltd and in partnership with his dad Anthony Gannon, the transformation began.

Five of the apartments can boast a rear terrace too and each home has an allocated parking space (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

The design of each home includes oodles of windows glass doors to the outside spaces (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

A key aspect of the new development for Nicholas, known as Elysium, was sensitively restoring the original art deco façade of the building to its former glory, including reintroducing balconies it once had, while inside the first and second floors have been reconfigured into six high quality two and three bedroom apartments. The scaffolding is now coming off the façade and the internal work is progressing but the building is now at a stage where people can buy one of the apartments off-plan.

Nicholas sees the restoration and redevelopment as an opportunity to support the wider regeneration of the town. He says: "The project is personal for me, and I feel a real responsibility to do it justice. I am incredibly proud of the scheme, which I am confident will get the ball rolling for further regeneration of the area. Barry is such a beautiful island and deserves the investment in its future."

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The six individually-designed lateral apartments have generous footprints of between 936 and 1,421 square feet and each home has a private balcony, while five can also boast a terrace. Nicholas says the internal specifications are high quality and contemporary in design with finishes including intelligent mood lighting, Egyptian cotton painted walls, and aluminium bi-fold doors.

There's design for the future too, with Nicholas adding that the homes have smart heating systems, including underfloor heating, and are powered by air source heat pumps. All the apartments are being offered for sale with at least one private allocated parking space.

Developer Nicholas says the finish inside will be high-end including a luxury kitchen suggested by this CGI image (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

In this CGI of the soon to be completed internal work, the dining spaces has a special sea view, but so do most of the rooms. (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

Claire Turner is marketing the apartments on behalf of Savills residential development sales team in Cardiff. She said: "A thoughtful and sensitive conversion of a local landmark, with spacious and well-designed apartments that take full advantage of the fantastic views over Whitmore Bay, Elysium is a first-of-its-kind scheme.

"Famous for its Victorian heritage, Barry Island is one of south Wales’ most popular seaside resorts, with a growing independent food and drink scene, as well as its traditional seaside attractions. The apartments are an exciting opportunity for buyers looking for a contemporary coastal home with charm."

The building will comprise six, spacious two and three bed apartments (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

Nicolas says finishes will include intelligent mood lighting, Egyptian cotton painted walls and aluminium bi-fold doors plus smart heating systems, including underfloor heating, powered by air source heat pumps (Image: Savills, Cardiff)

Works to the exterior of the building are nearly complete, and the apartments are expected to be complete and ready to move into in spring 2025.

Guide prices at Elysium start at £350,000 for a two bedroom first floor apartment with a sea view balcony and harbour view terrace, and £570,000 for a three-bedroom second floor penthouse with a sea view balcony and large harbour view terrace, call Savills, Cardiff on 029 2036 8900 to find out more.

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