Plans have been put forward to breathe a new lease of life into a building which housed a long-standing furniture shop in Bulwell. Submitted on behalf of applicant Fawzi Jaf, the proposals seek to convert the ground floor of the former Times Furniture store, in Main Street, into three new shops.
Whilst the upper floors are expected to be converted into new flats under the plans which have been submitted to Nottingham City Council. Planning documents say the building has been vacant for some time 'due to the economic crisis'.
Other business owners in the town gave their suggestions of the types of new shops they believe could be beneficial for the area. Jason Whalley, who runs KidzWorld in Tudor Court, Banks Yard, said: “Bulwell doesn’t need any more barber shops, E-Cig shops and nail shops. What I think would do well is a pet shop. There used to be a pet shop here [on Banks Yard] and people come here thinking it's still going.”
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He added: “I think a Subway would do good too, it’s a bit more of a healthier option. It’s a good location for the shop, it’s on a bend and it’s on the main road.”
Dave Perrin, who owned the furniture shop, spoke in June last year about other shop closures in the town centre. Some shoppers said they were sad that the furniture store had closed.
School receptionist Danielle Graham, 34, who has lived in Bulwell all her life, said: “The furniture shop has been in Bulwell for years.
“My nan has bought furniture off of Dave in the past, everyone knows him, he’s a legend. It’s not nice when yet another shop closes on the high street but I don’t want to see any more barber shops, there’s just no need.”
She added: “Splitting this into three shops could work, it just depends on what they are because, if it's something that's already here, people probably won’t be bothered.”
News of the plans comes months after the city council was unsuccessful with its latest levelling up bid, which would have seen £20m pumped into Bulwell. People in the town have also recently spoken of some of the businesses which have closed.
Bakery worker Mandy Weredon, 55, who lives in Bulwell, said: “It’s a sad time, the furniture shop has been there for a long time, it’ll be a very big change no longer having it on the high street. Despite a lot of closures, Bulwell does have stuff going for it; even though it isn’t a shop, there is the Toy Library, we have a Tesco, cafes and more.”
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