New plan for nightclub in Worcester

Another plan attempting to turn the site of a former nightclub into flats has come forward, almost 25 years after it was hit by fire.

The former Zig Zag nightclub in St John’s, Worcester, was demolished in 2021 and was expected to be replaced by shops and new apartments but the plans have now been redrawn.

Worcester City Council gave the green light to developer Peter Styles to build a four-storey apartment block for 12 apartments in 2019 but with little else taking place apart from the demolition since then, that idea has now been scrapped in favour of a row of new terrace houses.

The former Cordle’s shopfront would also be kept.

A plan to flatten Zig Zag and build 12 new apartments above shop and office space was approved by Worcester City Council’s planning committee way back in October 2016 with the hope that it would bring an end to the eyesore building.

But there was no progress at the club despite a condition in the planning decision saying that work should begin within two years due to a disagreement over section 106 money – funds the developer has to give the council for local infrastructure.

The city council then gave the green light to start building the apartments after coming to a final agreement with the developer Peter Styles in early 2019.

The plan was hit by further delays with demolition halted after Mr Styles was said to have decided to sell the building, but he has now returned with a new application.

The nightclub closed in 1998 and was hit by fire in August 2007 causing more damage to the building.

At the time in 2012, a ‘mystery buyer’ came forward to buy the former Zig Zag club from supermarket Sainsbury’s which had bought the building alongside the former Smoke Stack pub and Cordles shop as part of the development of its store in Swanpool Walk which opened in 2009.

You can have your say on the plan by visiting Worcester City Council’s website.

The application number is 22/00884/FUL and consultation ends on November 2.