Social landlord Coastline Housing has completed the refurbishment of the former Hollies Hotel in Redruth.

The former hotel and public house was well known to many local people due to its prominent position on one of the main roads through the town, but had lain derelict for many years.

Thanks to funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, which was specifically earmarked for regeneration in Redruth, the building has now been converted into five one-bedroom flats which will be let to local people in housing need.

Matt Ward, head of development at Coastline Housing, said: “Prior to Coastline beginning work on the building, this former pub and hotel had been derelict for quite some time and had become quite an eyesore. Members of Redruth Town Council were keen for us to tidy up this gateway into the town centre and we were very pleased to work with them on such a prominent local building which, we understand, has quite a history.”

The building has had many different faces over the years, once home to Knuckey’s Restaurant and also once known as Druid’s House, offering accommodation and "well aired beds" to travelling drapers and other visitors passing through Redruth in the 1800s.

Before Coastline bought the building it was subject to a suspected arson attack in 2013. Penryn Street was closed for more than one hour while a total of 30 firefighters tackled the blaze in the four-storey building, leaving it in even greater need of transformation.

The newly refurbished building is now known as Kelyn House, with Kelyn being the Cornish word for "holly."