Plans for a new cocktail bar in Nottingham city centre which has a New York theme has been welcomed by shoppers. A licensing application has been submitted to transform the former French Connection shop and bank on Victoria Street, next to Goldsmiths and Delilah Fine Foods, into a Manahatta bar.
Manahatta has seven different bars across the UK, with 3 in Leeds and one each in Manchester, Birmingham, York and Harrogate. ARC Installations, which has submitted a licensing application for an eighth bar in Nottingham to Nottingham City Council, is based in Leeds.
Their website says 'Manahatta is a glamorous New York inspired cocktail bar with an exciting party vibe', and it also serves food and bottomless brunch. The application details plans for live music, recorded music, anything similar to music and dance and sale of alcohol between 10am and 2am the following day Monday to Sunday, with the bar being open until 2.30am every day too.
Shoppers in the city centre are pleased to see plans for the building to be used. Most said that it's positive to attract more people into the city centre.
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Richard Hutchinson, 67, who has lived in Nottingham for 45 years, said: "I don't think it's a bad idea at all, this lovely old building needs to be used. It's a lovely street and it's one street that hasn't been ruined, and I want to see the city being vibrant and busier with people enjoying it."
Janis Bailey, 64, who was shopping in Nottingham, said: "I don't see why not at all, you see a lot of bars and I think that's where it all went wrong 25 or 30 years ago. But it's a nice building, a lovely building, and if it's like Delilah then great."
Ken Twist, 76, who lives in the city centre, said: "It's important they get it filled and get a business in to keep the life of the city going. It's getting the way in the city all over with coffee bars and bars, and for this place I'm not sure if there would be any other possibilities."
Christina Cox, 37, from Hucknall, said: "I would use it. If the space is already there too, there's no point changing it."
