This is all that's left of Old Town's Locarno. But this charred shell can be saved.

DESPITE a devastating fire, the landmark Locarno and town hall buildings were today declared safe.

And the multi-million pound plan to redevelop the buildings still looks set to go ahead. It will mean the creation of a cafe bar in the former ballroom, a restaurant in the old Town Hall building, and an Italian-style piazza in Market Square car park together with three apartment blocks.

Swindon Council engineers completed a survey of the gutted buildings and declared the landmark stonework to be solid.

The fire started at 3pm on Sunday afternoon and completely destroyed the roof and interiors of the old Locarno and Town Hall buildings.

Some 50 firefighters fought the blaze and two fire crews remained on site until late yesterday damping down small fires which continued to erupt in the embers.

Alan Harper, from Stratton St Margaret fire station, said: "We have had building control down and they are fairly confident that there are no areas externally that are going to collapse.

"About 50 per cent of the floor has collapsed into the basement.

"But because of its construction it is a remarkably solid building the outside walls are fairly well intact."

The two burnt out buildings are intended to form the heart of the major Old Town regeneration scheme the plans for which are currently on display in the Wat Tyler House council offices.

Developer Countryside Properties has proposed building three blocks of 163 luxury apartments around a central Italian style piazza.

Old Town bar owner Gael Mackenzie owns the buildings and as part of the deal he is planning to turn them into a giant bar.

He was away in Hamburg when the fire broke out and, although he is back in Swindon, he was unavailable for comment.

But his property agent Edward Preece said he was confident the deal would still go ahead.

He said: "It pushes the starting position on refurbishment back but what was there was in a very dilapidated state anyway.

"The main stonework in the buildings looks pretty sound.

"It's a great shame to see the damage a fire can do but I don't think it's going to greatly change the plans the buildings will still be brought back to life again."

Countryside Properties spokesman Guy Lambert said: "It is premature at this stage to comment on what effect the fire will have on the development proposals."

Police have confirmed they are treating the fire as arson but have yet to establish the exact cause.

Detective Sergeant Mark Smith, of Swindon CID said: "The damage is so extensive there is not a lot we can say we are just hoping to get some information through from the public.

"Children were seen in the vicinity before the fire but there is no substantial information.

"We would ask anyone who was in the area at 3pm and saw anything unusual to contact us on 528111."

Swindon Council spokesman Gavin Calthrop said: "Structural engineers are confident that the building will not have to demolished.

"After spending the day at the site, they believe that the surviving structure is safe and not in danger of collapse.

Mike Bawden, council leader and ward councillor for Old Town and Lawns, said: "This is an encouraging report and I am very pleased that an important part of Swindon's history has not been lost.

"What survives of the Locarno can now be incorporated into the future plans of the owner."

Investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing.

Wiltshire Fire Brigade spokesman, Andy Hargreaves, said: "It would appear that there was more than one source of the fire but because of the extensive damage it is difficult to be specific.

"There was fire issuing from lots of places and it appears to have started in the basement of the ballroom - it took hold very quickly.

Please stay away says fire chiefs

The fire brigade has warned people to stay away from the burned out shell of the Locarno.

Station Officer Andrew Hargreaves of Wiltshire Fire Brigade said: There are lots of risks in a building like the Locarno. Quite apart from the risks you will get covered in black dust. It is a messy, unhealthy and dangerous place and we are advising people to stay away.