Shop future safe for now

A city architect has said the future of a popular gift shop is safe for now after a new plan has revealed the building could eventually be converted into a bar and restaurant.

The plans put forward by Habitas, which is run by city architect Nick Carroll, show how the upper floors of the grade II listed home of New England Country Store in Broad Street, Worcester, could be converted into flats on top of ‘tentative’ plans for a bar and restaurant.

The future of the existing New England Country Store in the Broad Street building is said to be secure for the moment with owner Rachel Evans saying the yet-to-be-decided planning application does not currently affect her business.

Nick Carroll said the New England Country Store would have the opportunity to stay in Broad Street, and the latest planning application was to ‘safeguard’ the building if the shop did decide to pick up sticks or close.

If approved by the city council’s planners, the new application would mean that the ground floor of the listed Broad Street building could be converted into a bar and restaurant in the future.

Mr Carroll said the “flexibility” of uses – either as a shop, bar or restaurant – was important as tastes in shopping and High Street trends constantly change.

He said: “Our development company Habitas are seeking to obtain planning permission to convert this handsome but empty listed building into apartments and to retain the ground floor commercial area for a number of planning uses that include a potential restaurant and bar.

“This project is part of our wider private-sector initiative to bring urban renewal into Broad Street throughout the day and night and in so doing, improve the vitality of this main gateway into the City.

“We anticipate the usual swift support from Worcester planners and hope to complete works within six months of approval.

The flats plan by the Nick Carroll-fronted Habitas is one of several schemes to convert empty buildings and former offices in Broad Street and the rest of the city centre in recent years.