A PLAN to change a former bank building in Stockton Heath to a café will result in too many food and drink outlets in the village centre, local councillors claim.
Stockton Heath Parish Council has lodged an objection to the change of use of the former HSBC Bank in London Road.
They point out that the conversion would result in three out of a row of six properties being food and drink outlets – which they believe is contrary to the Warrington Local Development Framework.
Zalo’s Café on the Corner has applied for planning consent and the application comes before Warrington’s development management committee next week.
The parish council claims the village centre already has an adequate number of food and drink establishment to the detriment of retailing.
Planning officers are recommending the change of use be approved, however.
They say it will bring an empty property back into use and help boost the vitality of the village centre.
The café would occupy the ground floor of the building, with associated offices on the first floor. An existing self-contained first floor flat would remain.
The former HSBC bank at Stockton Heatgh
Councillors oppose village cafe plan
33 Comments
3 Comments
Food preparation next door to an undertakers! I can’t see that doing much business. I don’t think the other cafe’s need to worry about competition. 🙂 Not a good business move by Zalo’s.
I think the Parish Council have a point – who wants to visit a shopping centre with no shops?
Better to be a cafe than an empty building and the rates shouldn’t be so high and maybe the town wouldn’t be in such a mess.
I have some very strange thoughts and images going round in my head now re food preparation and the deceased Sha…sorry lol.
That aside, I suspect it will be approved by the council anyway and yes the parish council have objected like they often do but by their own admission many times in the past their objections don’t carry much clout anyway.
Bit late to start complaining now about the number of food outlets in the village….it’s gone too far in the food and drink direction to ever go back to a village full of shops.
Beats me how anyone can afford the rent and rates in the village either…which I believe are increasing significantly….which is probably what keeps most small normal retailers away.
Tell you what though that building would make a great bank to serve local people and it would be very well used and valued….oops hang on a minute that’s what…silly me 😉
What the village needs is a shop like the old Ethel Austins…somewhere you can but cheapish but nice kids and adult clothes etc…..it would do well in the village cos not everyone wants or can afford expensive designer stuff.