NO demolition work will need to be carried out on the burned-out shell of the Locarno.

The bell tower of the Victorian building was gutted by fire 15 days ago the second blaze there in just over a year.

There were widespread fears throughout the town that the building was so badly damaged that it would have to be completely razed for public safety reasons.

Swindon Council engineers have now completed a thorough survey of what remains and say that, apart from having to brace certain parts of the walls, there will be no need to knock down any part of the structure.

Ian Stark, one of the authority's senior building control surveyors, said today: "We have done our structural analysis of the work that needs to be done, and the owner, Gael Mackenzie, has arranged his own analysis for a second opinion.

"I am pleased to say that there is no talk of demolition.

"Certain strengthening work will have to be done in order to make the building completely safe but we hope to have that work complete within two or three weeks."

The future of the building has long been the subject of debate between Mr Mackenzie, owner of the small chain of upmarket bars which bears his name, and the council, which owns the land around the building.

It is hoped by both parties that the site will be turned into a residential and commercial development with a form of piazza, preserving as much of the old building as possible.

The authority has set a deadline of July 28 for an acceptable plan to be submitted.

Council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawn) went on the record before the fire as saying that he would consider applying for a compulsory purchase order if no progress was made.

But Mr Stark said: "We will be able to achieve our objective of saving this historic building for the people of Swindon."

Mr Stark added that the council and Mr Mackenzie would discuss how best to secure the building Coun Bawden has suggested temporarily bricking up the doors and windows.

Police are currently analysing the results of their investigation into the cause of the fire.

Two days after the blaze, the tower's three bells were carefully removed, still attached to their charred beams, and lowered to the ground.

It was thought to have been the first time they had left the tower since 1868, the year they were cast in London.

One of them the middle-sized of the three was discovered to have fractured, possibly in the sudden temperature change as the fire was put out.

The bells, which remain the property of Mr Mackenzie, are being stored by the council.

Barrie Hudson