A workshop used by elderly gentlemen to build up their DIY skills and fight loneliness has been saved from demolition. 

The Silvers Workshop off Oxford Road in Reading is used by elderly men as a place to learn DIY and build fellowship.

The group was founded in 2014 as part of the Men’s Shed concept, which provides a space for craftwork and social interaction.

The workshop was at risk of closure as the owner of the building had applied to demolish it and replace it with three flats.

While the project was refused by Reading Borough Council’s planning department in February last year, the landlord appealed against the decision to the government’s planning inspectorate.

READ MORE: Replacement of Reading workshop with three flats refused

However, that appeal was recently dismissed, as inspector Nichola Robinson judged that the flats building would be ‘cramped and contrived’ and would not provide adequate lighting for future occupants.

Welcoming the news, Tony Smith-Crallan, a founding member and ex-chairman said: “We are still going and we are wonderful!

“Basically its here to combat loneliness and social isolation in older men, men who are widowed and people who just stopped work and don’t have friends outside work and don’t have the social interaction they would have had in work.

“It makes a tremendous difference, we welcome any men, we help with finding something to do, the work gets them out of the house, we also talk about things you would not talk about in a mixed environment such as prostate and bowel cancer and other fun things.

“It’s somewhere you can get together and make friends.”

While Mr Smith-Crallan, 73 from Wokingham, welcomed the appeal dismissal, he still fears that another plan to replace the workshop with homes could be submitted.

“We are quite happy here, the problem is the roof leaks, we need to repair it.

He said: “If we had certainty of tenure we could do something about it, but how can I justify spending a lot of money on the roof if I don’t have guaranteed tenure?”

That’s why the Reading Men’s Shed is open to moving to alternative premises.

READ MORE: Men's Shed on the lookout for new home 

Mr Smith-Crallan said: “When we took it over, the building had been unused for seven years, we have turned it around, we’ve kept it in reasonably good nick and we can do that for someone else.”

The appeal was dismissed on February 9, with the decision being discussed by the council’s planning applications committee.

Councillor James Moore (Liberal Democrats, Tilehurst) said: “It’s good for the time being that they will not be chucked out of their premises, because it’s a very vital resource to that demographic.”

The workshop is located at 37 Hilcot Road, West Reading.

You can email homeless@thesilverworkshop.org.uk to assist the group in finding new premises.