A former pub has been given a new lease of life and been transformed into a community hub and flats for people with learning disabilities.

The former Waverley Arms on Abbotsbury Road was formally opened by the new Mayor of Weymouth and Portland, Cllr Gill Taylor, this week.

The pub, which closed its doors in 2017, was purchased by East Boro Housing Trust.

Stripped from the inside out, it has now been transformed into The Waverley Community Hub which will offer groups, classes and events.

It also offers a café and a function room as well as three two-bedroom flats upstairs. Two of the flats will be home to four people with learning disabilities, with the third being home to an on-site support worker.

The Waverley's primary objective is to cater for vulnerable groups in the community, offering a safe and secure but progressive, dynamic and fun social hub. It aims to provide a new multi-use community resource for adults and young people with learning disabilities, persons with mental health needs, the elderly, carers, parents with young families and socially isolated and lonely people. Its café will be open to the general public, encouraging integration between all members of the wider community.

The Arts and Craft Room is the creative centre of The Waverley, and has already been in use by a number of groups who have been inspired through art, craft, textiles and music.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kevin Hodder, chief executive of East Boro Housing Trust, said: "Well, we did it. It's been a journey. What was an empty building that was gradually falling into disrepair has been given a new lease of life. There was nothing in here that we could really work with, apart from the outside walls.

"There are a lot of people that live in this area that can benefit from the Waverley."

The opening ceremony was attended by members of the board at East Boro Housing Trust, developers and workers on the project and councillors - who were later all given a tour of the facilities and the accommodation at the hub.

Before officially cutting the ribbon, Cllr Taylor said: "It is Kevin's drive and ambition that has kept this project going. I can remember a some very interesting evenings in here, but it is absolutely brilliant to see what it has been transformed into. I came to look in February/March time and it was still a bombsite - but look at it now. It's amazing."

For more information visit www.facebook.com/TheWaverleyWeymouth