A FORMER orphanage in Weston has been transformed into a brand new centre for lifestyle and health experts.

Cowan House, in Ellenborough Park North, will offer a range of independent business owners a choice of furnished treatment rooms, meeting rooms and offices, under the umbrella Cowan House Ltd.

Jayne Symons and her husband John are putting the finishing touches to the property ahead of the planned launch this month.

The couple bought the property from Bristol-based agents CJH Land on the instructions of the George M�ller Charitable Trust.

Jayne said: “This was a complicated negotiation which required working on for about six months.

“Cowan House hadn’t been used as a children’s home for some years, but we were bowled over with its sheer size and charming interior detail, which includes intricate corniced ceilings, stained glass windows and many original features.

“It seemed criminal to us to chop it up for flats, which is what has happened to so many similar period properties in Weston.”

To fund the conversion work planning permission was obtained for two family houses to be built in the extensive garden at the rear of Cowan House

Jayne and John have been able to embark on a major refurbishment programme to restore the property and will be contacting lifestyle and health experts to be based at the centre.

The range of treatments on offer will include pilates, physiotherapy and osteopathy with chiropodists and yoga.

Beauty, fitness and dietary experts will also be holding demonstrations and taking space in one of the seven letting rooms.

The owners also plan to attract solicitors who might need a neutral venue for family arbitration issues or groups who require meeting rooms.

People who would like rooms in the centre can get details from Jayne by emailing cowanhouse@rocketmail.com or visiting www.cowanhouse.co.uk