Another town pub plan...
HAIRDRESSER AND MILKSHAKE UNIT MAY BE KNOCKED THROUGH TO CREATE BAR, ACCORDING TO OWNERS
A PL AN to knock through two shops on King Street to make a new three-storey pub with a roof terrace has been given the thumbs-up by Kirklees Council.
The proposal to merge the empty former Hair Cuttery unit with milkshake shop Shaake was approved in recent days.
Documents lodged on behalf of Kingsgate, who own all the shops on their side of King Street, reveal they are considering converting the two premises into one boozer.
But the manager of Shaake, Polly Fletcher, told the Examiner she had been assured nothing was imminent.
She said: “We’re not going anywhere, anytime soon.
“It’s just Kingsgate keeping their options open because there’s an empty unit.”
However Jonathan Hardy, manager of Kingsgate, said the plan was likely to go ahead once the firm’s ambitious leisure scheme alteration to the shopping centre was under way.
They include plans to radically alter the House of Fraser part of the centre to include a new cinema.
When asked if it would be within the next three years, the usual expiration date of planning applications, he commented: “I would think we could manage that.”
“It’s just normal procedure,” he added.
“We’re just getting our planning applications in so we’re ahead of the curve.”
Lesley Griggs, manager of bridal boutique Mia Sposa, the longest running store on King Street, said a new drinking venue was the last thing the street needed.
“I think it’s the last thing we need on King Street,” she said.
“Jax bar had only been there about 12 months and that’s now gone. Kings bar has had three or four owners in the last three years.
“We’ve got two big bars at the bottom and round the corner – I think we’ve got enough bars.
“We’ve been here 15 years and every single unit on the Kingsgate side has changed hands several times over.
“I think they should be encouraging more independent retailers, but it’s just hard as the rents are too high.”
Mr Hardy told the Examiner it was likely any new tenant of the pub would be an independent as the premises would be too small to attract one of the larger pub companies.