'Awful' bus station to be demolished in days

30 December 2025

News image — Work will begin to remove the metal canopy of the bus station followed by the main building

Swindon Borough Council Image of a dilapidated building, covered in graffiti, with rubble and large sections of concrete in the foreground. In the background can be seen a digger and the lower floors of high rise buildings. The long low building has a glass canopy and glass entrance way. — Work will begin to remove the metal canopy of the bus station followed by the main building

A dilapidated bus station criticised for failing to create a "good first impression" of a town is being demolished next week.

Swindon's former bus hub at New Bridge Close is being cleared to make way for a new regional entertainment venue to replace the town's ageing Wyvern Theatre.

Work to remove the bus station is due to begin on Monday.

Councillor Jim Robbins, leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: "I'm so happy I was able to play a small part in getting rid of this awful facility."

Swindon Borough Council Image of a man in a high vis jacket and a hard hat, waving from a digger in the background can be seen a dilapidated building, covered in graffiti, with rubble and large sections of concrete in the foreground. — Pre-demolition work is already under way to remove the individual bus stops

The town's former bus station is being removed following the opening of a new £33m bus interchange on Fleming Way in September.

Councillor Robbins said the old bus station failed to create a good first impression of the town and Fleming Way is a "more pleasant environment".

"The [former] bus station is being knocked down and that means that we can progress the plans for a replacement entertainments venue in that space," he added.

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The new venue will be larger than the Wyvern Theatre and "deliver all sorts of events for the town", according to the council leader.

However, funding for the new entertainment venue has not yet been secured.

"We've got a lot of it already ready and we're waiting on funding bids for the rest.

"If we're not successful with these bids we will keep going until we get that cash so we can make that area the bit of Swindon we want it to be," councillor Robbins said.

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