One of Bristol’s most historic and biggest music shops has unveiled plans to demolish the building and create a new store, gig and event space in its place - with a 175-room student accommodation block on top.
Mickleburghs has been open for business selling musical instruments and equipment to Bristol from its site in Stokes Croft since 1903, and want to completely redevelop the site and create a new venue that will not only sell musical instruments but also include a small music hall for live music in the basement, and music practice rooms.
Above the new building, Mickleburgh is planning to build a nine-storey purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) block that will house 175 students, and have a roof terrace on top.
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A planning application has been submitted to Bristol City Council, and is the third major planning application for a PBSA in the city centre in the last week that Bristol Live has reported on. Last week, a planning application to knock down the Rupert Street car park and build a PBSA for 328 students was submitted, and earlier this week, plans were unveiled to knock down the Premier Inn hotel at the Bearpit and build a 28-storey PBSA for 445 students.
The Mickleburgh plan is smaller by comparison, but will alter the approach from the Bearpit onto the main road, with the music shop currently occupying a large site opposite the Full Moon pub at the start of Stokes Croft.
The planning agents said Mickleburgh own the building, so are able to stay, but would otherwise have looked for an out-of-town building to move to. “Mickleburgh Limited has occupied this site since 1903, with the current premises evolving over many years,” said a spokesperson.
“The current building requires a lot of investment to bring it up to a modern standard. This is impossible to justify as the fundamental underlying nature of the building, which is currently spread over 6 different internal floor levels, is not well suited to the storage and retailing of pianos.” they added.
“The Mickleburgh business is in a unique position to develop and operate a live music venue which is intended to be housed in the basement and operated ancillary to the main business. This will be a small music hall venue, with separate public access available out of shop hours in addition to the retail entrance.
"If the Mickleburgh business were not in the fortunate position of owning their own premises, which does not currently provide them with adequate facilities, they would be seeking a relocation outside of the city centre. Their preference however is to redevelop their existing site into a 15,000 sqft, first class piano retailing space, with ancillary music hall use in the basement,” they added.
“Alongside the redevelopment of the shop and ancillary spaces, there will also be a 175 bed student accommodation. These will be across floors 1 to 8 with amenity space above. Residents will not have any direct access to the Mickleburgh facilities. This accommodation ensures the viability of the Mickleburgh will help to take the pressure off existing student accommodation provision, which currently cannot cope with the student numbers that Bristol hosts,” they added.
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