A former Newport chapel which went on to house numerous nightclubs before it was destroyed in a fire is finally to make way for flats following listed building consent for its demolition. The building at 40 Stow Hill is sitting unused and is now in a state of disrepair but from 1997 until 2007 housed the busiest club in the city called Zanzibar.
The building was damaged by a fire in 2018 that wrecked the neighbouring Bethel Community Church which remains badly affected. Housing association Linc Cymru will now be able to build two new apartment blocks at the old Zanzibar site which will comprise 37 affordable flats.
The plans will include demolishing the building, which has also been known as The Stowaway, Escapade and Lazers, as agreed by the city council’s planning committee in May pending Cadw approval due to its status as a Grade II-listed building. According to the city council that approval has now been received and work can begin.
