Welcome to my first property column! My columns will include all things property; general news, transactions and property issues across our borough which I hope the community will appreciate. 

My first piece is on the old Post Office at the Top of Town which (my company) Jackson Wright Property has successfully re-let to a new business with an exciting new idea. 

We are all familiar with the changes to the High Street up and down the country, as banks and similar staples move away from a physical presence. This causes significant problems to landlords, councils and us as residents as many large buildings sit empty. 

What is best for the High Street is when a building is successfully re-purposed, for the good of the town and its local people. This can be via a different commercial proposition or quality residential conversion. In the case of the old Post Office it is the former. 

Basingstoke people will share my frustration at the lack of vibrancy in the top of town in recent years. What we have in this space, opening November 1, is an exciting and ambitious new bar. The Post Box Sports Bar is being opened and operated by local people, and it is very different to anything we have seen in Basingstoke before. 

As well as the sports bar, it will feature all manner of themed games. As well as pool tables and dart boards, The Post Box will have shuffleboard, an augmented dart board and a state-of-the-art sports simulator, which I can’t wait to try.

I've spoken out strongly for some time about the importance of a busy, thriving and ambitious Top of Town for the local area. 

We as local people, deserve more than we have had for too long and we should be doing more to keep people in the Town for their leisure rather than heading out to surrounding areas. 

This is just the sort of thing that we need for people to enjoy and it is imperative that people support it. There are of course other issues to tackle around anti-social behaviour and access to taxis (to name a few) but this is a really exciting start. 

For more information on The Post Box Sports Bar, visit thepostboxsportsbar.co.uk. 

  • If you would like to speak to Jackson Wright Property about any of your land or property matters go to jackson-wright.co.uk or email info@jackson-wright.co.uk
  • This column was written by Andy Jackson, managing director of Jackson Wright Property