New bar and grill restaurant planned for Wrexham city centre

A new bar and grill restaurant in Wrexham city centre is looking to operate a takeaway service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Council has received an application seeking to vary the change of use planning permission granted earlier this year for the premises at 53 Chester Street, previously a furniture shop. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of the conditions of the planning permission reads: “No use of the restaurant shall be made except between the hours of 9am and 9pm on any day, and no food or drink shall be sold / provided for consumption off the premises (take away).” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Permission was granted in a decision delegated to the council’s planning department at the end of last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The conditions were imposed by the council to “ensure that the restaurant is not used at a time / in a manner which would be likely to cause nuisance or disturbance to nearby residents”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But a planning statement submitted by Blueprint Architectural Services on behalf of the applicant refutes that this would be the case, and also seeks to vary the opening hours to 10pm in order to compete with similar businesses in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The applicants feel the condition imposed when they were granted change of use for the premises was “restrictive”, and would harm their business due to competition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“On reflection following the decision notice issued by Wrexham Council with the restrictive Condition 3 it is felt the clients target audience would use competitors rather than their service due the inabilities to offer a takeaway service”, the planning statement says. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Establishments in Wrexham offer a takeaway service, this service which is offered by business in the city centre effectively saved their business during the Covid-19 pandemic. This service has been continued due to its success. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We understand the condition imposed under this application was added for protection of amenities and concerns raised by highways. Just next door a restaurant occupies a large unit, we are aware they indeed offer a takeaway service as noted on their website.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The planning statement adds: “With many empty units in the town centre it’s imperative the local authority look to support new business ventures and allow unoccupied units to become occupied but remain occupied, it is felt the condition attached to the permission could be the difference. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The target audience have the luxury in the city centre of establishments that cater for meals/drinks and are open until 10/11pm. For this reason we believe extending the opening times to 10pm on any day will assist with enticing customers into the establishment.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The applicants refer potential customers being able to use the Market Street car park which stays open until 11pm. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Council planners will make a decision on the application at a future date. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​