WHEN Ian and Angelique Pollet decide to take on a project, they sure achieve some grand plans.
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The long time martial arts instructors, who own Pollet's Martial Arts, are putting the final touches on a brand new centre in the central business district.
The couple lodged a development application (DA) with Bathurst Regional Council in August to move from their existing site at 45 Mitre Street to 169 George Street, next door to Country Fruit.
The $23,000 project was approved and work soon started on converting the circa early 1800s building to a modern fully-equipped centre.
The new centre is larger than the last, Mr Pollet said, and it will allow the business to grow.
“Our sessions are going to be social for the city,” he said.
“There will be lunch classes and morning classes, we’ll have 6am and 7am classes.
“It’ll be a great service for people who work long hours.”
Mr Pollet admits the historic building was in need of extensive works before the business could relocate.
We fell in love with the building and my wife and I looked past what we saw to see the beauty in the building.
- Ian Pollet, Pollet's Martial Arts
“We fell in love with the building and my wife and I looked past what we saw to see the beauty in the building,” he said.
Works on the George Street level of the building are almost complete and will include training areas for people to practice their chosen fighting style.
While this level is a similar size to the Mitre Street property, Mr Pollet said there is hundreds of square metres of extra space below ground.
Originally, the space contained horse stables, a tunnel and working areas for bankers and jewellers.
Mr and Mrs Pollet said the building’s restoration and heritage aspects were very important to them as works have been conducted.
“I want to leave everything the way it is, but just make it beautiful,” he said.
“It must have been an amazing building in its time.
“In time we’ll work out how to display things once we find someone who knows about it all.”
Once street level works are complete, the couple will decide what to do with the large area underneath.
Mr Pollet praised Leroy Tipu, from LTK Carpentry for his focus on maintaining the building’s heritage.
“If you’ve got such a beautiful old building, you don’t want someone who’s not caring,” he said.
Mr Pollet said all existing services will continue at the new centre.
“Our clients are going to absolutely fall in love with the building, they’ve already fall in love with martial arts,” he said.
The DA states that once open, the new Pollet’s Martial Arts centre will be open from 6am until 8.30pm weekdays and from 9am until noon on weekends.
The centre will open next week, the actual day is yet to be confirmed.