A historic Island landmark, which has been unoccupied for 13 years, is to be given a new lease of life.

Victoria Working Men’s Club, Broadway, Sheerness, is being transformed into a block of flats.

It was built in 1882 and was a venue for social occasions but since it shut its doors in 2000 it has been a target for vandals and thieves.

Bromley-based business Grigg & Crouch has been renovating inside since November 2012 and could be finished by September.

The developer has benefitted from interest free loans totalling £175,000 through the No Use Empty scheme, run by Kent County Council with Swale council.

The VC, as it is affectionately known, is being turned into 10 private dwellings in the main building with an extra one next door in an adjoining structure.

Some of the rooms have high ceilings and those at the rear on the upper two floors overlook Beachfields and the Sheerness coastline which co-owner Ron Grigg described as, “one of the nicer views on the Island”.

He said: “When we took over it was all messed up. There was a lot of vandalism and everything was ripped out so basically we had to start again.”

On site security and CCTV have been put in place to ensure there are no more thefts or damage.

Mr Grigg was not aware of the historical significance of the VC before he took it over but said: “I knew as soon as I looked it up on the computer and you can tell just by looking at the building.

“That is why we have tried to keep as much of the old aspect as we can.”

The windows are to be kept the same and the facade will remain after a clean-up.

Swale council’s cabinet member for Housing, councillor John Wright, said: “We are fully committed to the No Use Empty scheme as a means of delivering new homes at minimal cost to the taxpayer. We have invested a great deal of time and resource into this particular project, as we were determined to help transform this neglected building into something valuable for the community.”

The VC was originally sold at auction to a Rochester-based developer for £180,000 in September 2010, with plans to turn it into 25 flats, but it was later sold on to Grigg & Crouch.

Meanwhile the single storey building next door which became the new home of the Victoria Working Men’s Club was sold by Maidstone-based Porters Surveyors Ltd last month.

It is not clear at this point what the new owners intend to do with the property.