General News
4 September, 2025
Open for business
THE long-awaited refurbishment of 118–120 Barkly Street has entered the final stages of its first phase, with the newly renovated shops now receiving finishing touches.
The first is Laneway Pilates, officially opened its doors on Monday.
The project, led by locally born architect Adam Haddow, aims to update the ageing building while retaining its original unique character.
His husband and assistant project manager, Michael Combs, said the work has been about both restoration and revitalisation.
“Phase one is about the activation of Barkly Street, so that was the renovation of the shops and trying to take them back to what the original shopfronts used to look like on the main street and then dealing with the years of neglect in that building to effectively stop it from falling over, to give it 100 years,” Michael said.
Stage two, already underway, will see the upstairs two-bedroom apartment transformed after years of disrepair.
Michael said the renovation will highlight the benefits of main-street living.
“What we are trying to do with that stage is about really showcasing the benefits of living on the main street. Allowing people to live within walking distance of the amenities of shops and the grocery stores.
Stage three will deliver two modern townhouses at the rear of the property. “The real purpose of that is showcasing how we can use the land in town better and not sprawl our communities and take up farmland for housing, where there’s actually a lot of really great land within the boundaries of the town,” Michael said.
“This is about going up and capturing the amazing views that you’ve got around the district and having smaller gardens.”
Throughout the multi-stage project, a focus has been placed on supporting local trades and using local materials and bring back life to Barkly Street. “We’re super excited to get them finished and seeing people start to use them,” Michael said.
“We hope that the renewed shops might spark somebody’s interest or give somebody the confidence to have a go setting up their own business.”
The first new business, Laneway Pilates, will officially open on September 1 under the guidance of owners Lisa Haddow and Jess Tucker from Ararat Physio.
“We’ve had such good feedback and the excitement from the community, it’ll be nice. It feels like a long time coming,” Lisa said.
“It’s going to be a beautiful space that we’ve come to.”
More information about the new studio and how to book in a class or two can be found at www.araratphysio.com/lanewaypilates.
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