FORMER changing rooms left to rot and crumble in Stratton could be destroyed or given a new lease of life – it’s entirely up to you.

The parish council wants the public to decide what to do with the Dorcan pavilion based near WHSmith's headquarters and Swindon Rugby Club on Greenbridge Road.

The derelict building’s asbestos-filled roof is leaking and the facilities have fallen into disrepair since the site was last used almost six years ago.

Stratton St Margaret Parish Council’s open spaces manager Oliver Saunders said: “A survey of the site suggests that it would be best to knock it down and start again.

“However, we want the people of Stratton to let us know what we should do with it before we make a final decision.

“The whole building is in a fairly bad state and we have struggled to find enough funding to renovate it over the years.

“It was originally built as three changing room areas – one for the home team, one for the away team, and a smaller one for the referee – and rented to the rugby club.

“However, the pitch next to it gets so waterlogged in winter that the rugby club stopped using it and no-one else wanted to use the building for its original purpose.

“While it’s never nice to see something go, especially something that’s been in the community for a long time, it’s important we put sensitivity aside and only invest in its refurbishment if it’s definitely going to be used.

“As with anything that involves expense, we need to think logically and the money may be better spent elsewhere.

“We have tried to get some use out of the area – we planted 500 trees in the grass for the centenary of the First World War Armistice.”

The parish council wants local clubs and groups to get in touch if they would be willing to use the site if it was invested in and renovated or rebuilt.

Ideas suggested by the council include scouts and cub groups, social clubs for the elderly, sports classes, cinema clubs, speed-dating, chess, bridge, and boxing.

If nobody comes forward to commit to using the site, the bulldozers will be brought in to level the brick building once and for all.