People in Nottingham city centre have welcomed a plan to breathe new life into a 'gorgeous building'. Plans have been put forward for a 'high quality' sports bar in the former All Saints clothes shop in Thurland Street.
The historic building, across from the Thurland Hall pub, was also once home to a bank. The ARC Inspirations bar group have agreed to take over the lease and have a '"real drive... to open the bar within the winter of 2022".
Shoppers and workers said it was a good move to make use of the landmark property. Administrator Rosie Banner, who is 30 and from Nottingham, said: "I didn't realise they were doing that, but I think it's a gorgeous building and will be nice to see it used again.
Read more: Tyson Fury 'makes offer' to take over Nottinghamshire pub
"I think a sports bar would be quite good, I don't think there are any in this immediate area either. I think that will be a good use of it."
However, a 49-year-old Nottingham resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's definitely good to see it used but I don't know if it's being used for the right thing. It's such a beautiful building."
Nottingham student Jack Bolton, 19, said he was looking forward to seeing the sports bar open. He said: "I think it would be good, yeah; I do like sports anyway and my favourite team is Forest. I'm pleased it's getting used, so it's not being wasted."
The listed building, along with neighbouring 11 Pelham Street, was constructed in 1879 to form the base for the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank. The bank was converted into two separate retail units in 2004.
The bar group have been searching for a suitable location in Nottingham for some time, and have identified the premises as an ideal site for their 'Box' bar concept – which they say is a "game changing, high-quality sports bar to eat, drink, view, play and party".
They currently operate bars in historic and listed buildings across Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, and have more than 15 bars in various cities in the north of England. Live music is planned as part of the offer.
The city already has a number of sports bars including The Southbank Bar, in Friar Lane; Shooters, within Bierkeller across the road from The Southbank; OZ Bar in St James' Street; and Rileys Sports Bar on the same street.
Insolvency administrator Craig Warsop, 40, of Nottingham, said: "Any bar is a good idea, I guess, but there's a lot of them in town, I guess anything that has food in general is good though."
The company also recently applied for a licence and for permission to change the use of the former French Connection shop in Victoria Street into a New York-style Manahatta bar.
In relation to this separate bar, ARC Inspirations group hope to bring the "exciting unmistakeable beat of New York to the UK". The three-storey former building, which also once housed a bank, was constructed in 1896 to form the base of the Midland Bank but is empty after French Connection vacated the premises.
And now a cocktail bar is planned for the site. Other people in the city said they hoped the distinctive features of the two buildings would be protected and respected.
Recruitment construction worker Jack Connerly, 30, of Ripley, said: "A themed bar is good, but there's an American bar already around the corner, but New York is different. Plenty of people drink so I can't see it not doing well."
Construction workers, Gareth Smedley, 46, and Michael Beal, 38, spoke to Nottinghamshire Live in the city centre. The pair, who are from Derby, said the New York-themed bar would be great.
Mr Smedley said: "It sounds good, it's always good to find a new bar." Mr Beale, who comes to Nottingham a lot, added: "It will be good to get some use out of the building."
Read Next:
