Havelock Square used to be home to a swanky bar and restaurant that transformed into a jazzy entertainment venue.

The Atrium covered a corner of the square for many years, adding outdoor seating in the summer of 1999.

Arkell's Brewery's first cafe-bar offered a an extensive menu on every day of the week, with pizzas and platters available in the evenings, and carveries being served up on Sundays. The space could also be hired for events on Sunday nights.

In August 2001, the Adver declared that its "tasteful interiors", as well as "the international experience of the chefs" made The Atrium "an ideal place for a meal or a drink".

In 2002, Longs Bar proprietors Richard James and Paul Studholme invested more than £600,000 into transforming The Atrium into a three-storey jazz restaurant, bar and private members' club for over-25s. 

Under its new owners and new name of The Apartment, it aimed to feel like a cross between Ronnie Scott's and the Jazz Cafe, and compete with classy venues in Bristol and London.

The ground floor had a modern lounge bar and a 50-seater restaurant featuring a curved wooden roof, leather seats, relaxed music, live jazz and funky soul.

A club and champagne bar operated on the second floor while the third floor became a private members' club and roof terrace.

James Taylor, co-founder of the James Taylor Quartet, heaped praise on the venue after his band performed a sell-out gig there in May 2003, describing it as "really special" and complimenting the audience's enthusiasm.

At the time, Richard James said: "It's been a great year for the club and our aim is to continue putting on a big name act once a month. Throughout the year, we've been trying to bring really good quality live music and bands to Swindon and we've achieved that."

Unfortunately, this heady heyday did not last for long. The Apartment closed at some point in the late noughties, and was briefly reopened as the World Cafe.

In May 2010, James Sinclair and two other partners relaunched it with the similar name of The Apartments, bringing back former employees too, but this venture only lasted three months before the venue shut again in August.

George Arkell said the closure was only temporary and that it would be reopened with new landlords in the near future.

Today, a Poundland takes up most of that side of the square, with an Iceland supermarket on the other side, and a staircase to two boxing clubs between the two chains.