Plans for a new bar to occupy a currently empty shop have been welcomed by city residents. A empty shop on Pelham Street, in Hockley would be restored and turned into a bar if an application is approved by city officials.
The proposals submitted to Nottingham City Council include the installation of a kitchen in the basement and the the fitting of bar servery and other fittings to the ground floors. There are also plans for new toilets to be built and for seating to be put in place, with a maximum occupancy of 60 people.
The property has been empty since the last tenant, Ugly Bread Bakery, vacated the property in early 2019. The proposals for it to be put back into use as a bar have been praised by local residents. Lewis Parr, 24, who works as a cashier and lives in Lenton, said: "There's a lot of places here to eat and drink, especially in Hockley and Lace Market. We could always do with somewhere else to go out to.
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"It is right to the Spoons [Wetherspoons], so if there's full you could just go here. It's a great location for for a bar as everyone walks through here to get in and out of town." Marian Fletcher, 76, who is retired and lives in Nottingham, said: "I'm a bit old to be drinking now but it's the place for it. There's loads of places round here for young people. It needs to have something done to it as it we don't want shops closed in the city centre. Lister Gate suffers from that and it looks awful."
Developers say that no significant alteration would be made to the the exterior of Grade-II building, which lies in the Lace Market conservation area. The street is currently occupied by a number of bars already, which one person said would help the bar "fit in" to the area.
A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "I don't think I ever went into that shop when it was open. This is quite a vibrant street so I think another bar would fit in." In a planning document, Steve Riley Architect on behalf of applicant , said: "Though no significant alteration to the exterior of the building is proposed, it is felt that the proposal will enhance the appearance of both the listed building and the wider conservation area by virtue of the building being brought back into use."
The planning application is currently pending consideration by Nottingham City Council.
