Plans for a new bar and restaurant on Garstang's high street submitted to Wyre Council

A planning application was submitted on October 3* for a new bar/restaurant on the site of the grade II listed building 13 High Street, which dates back to 1741.

The plans are for a “Proposed change of use on the existing commercial ground floor (E) to bar and restaurant (sui generis) including single storey glazed side extension, following demolition of a single storey lean-to, and internal alterations.”

13 High Street was a coffee shop by the same name which closed at the end of 2020 and no business has opened up at the site since.

The only information about the proposed bar/restaurant included in the application is that the opening hours are hoped to be 8:00am-11:00pm Monday to Saturday and 9:00pm-5:00pm Sunday/Bank Holidays, whilst there will also be four full time and four part time staff.

Although the applicants details are not yet known, the agent for the application is Graham Anthony Associates.

Regarding the single storey lean-to subject to proposed demolition, the application says that it “is a latter addition use for storage complete with modern features and a sheet roof”.

They wish to replace this lean-to with a single-story side extension “to ensure that the building is commercially viable from a commercial perspective and to improve the aesthetic of the building.”

The full size of the building is 572,70m3, and the volume of the part they wish to demolish, which was first constructed in March 1980, is 58.50m2

There is also a residential space in the upper floors but the application says there are no gains, losses or changes to residential space.

The Ramblers Association, Ramblers Association (Fylde), Peak And Northern Footpath Society, Garstang Town Council and the Wyre Council Conservation Officer were all consulted on October 26.

In the only comment received in response so far, the Conservation Officer Ian Heywood said: “The proposed development is, subject to a minor modification to the proposed plans, considered to preserve the appearance of the listed buildings and the Garstang Conservation Area”

Mr Heywood continued: “Whilst overall the alterations to the external appearance of the building with the addition of a single-storey side extension of a sympathetic design are considered to be acceptable, some of the internal reordering with the removal of significant historic walls in their entirety is not. This situation could, however, be easily remedied by the retention of a small nib of the original wall to delineate its original position and thickness.”

*Whilst the planning application was submitted on October 3, it was only validated on October 26.

You can read the full planning application, including the Conservation Officer’s comment here.