Green light for plans to convert empty Chesterfield retail unit into bar with Victorian twist

The vacant unit at 10 Station Road, Whittington Moor, will be transfomed under plans led by John Norton through a company called The Beer Station Ltd.

Both the frontage of the shops, as well as the inside, are to be refurbished to allow it to become a bar, with alterations to the front including the installation of Victorian-style tiles in a British Racing Green colour.

The change-of-use, which has been approved by Chesterfield Borough Council, will create one full-time job and five part-time roles, the equivalent to four full-time positions.

A statement by Mr Norton said: “The shop is currently empty having previously been full of bric-a-brac items. The premises is undergoing remedial work to the damaged floor and walls left by the previous tenant.”

During a public consultation, a resident backed the plans and noted previous business ventures by Mr Norton who they described as a “successful and experienced” publican.

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A council officer’s report on the proposals said: “The proposal would generate footfall in a similar manner to retail and would provide an active ground floor use. Whilst it would remove an existing retail use, the majority of ground floor premises in the shopping parade will still be within the new use Class E.

"The use would be likely to maintain a similar mix of uses in the district centre as that which existed before the loss of the Travellers Rest public house/inn.

"To a degree the proposal would compensate for that premises loss and there would at face value result in an appropriate diversity/mix of licensed premises.”

“The area is not within a cumulative impact zone for licensed premises.

"Of concern is that the proposal does not appear to tackle vacancy, dereliction and the under use of premises, with there being no meaningful evidence provided by the applicant to demonstrate otherwise.”

It added: “Nevertheless, the proposal would to a degree replace the lost public house within the district centre and would still make a substantive contribution to footfall.”

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