Which 17th Century Northampton building could become a trendy lounge bar?

Grade II listed Welsh House, fronting onto Northampton’s Market Square, has seen number of different uses since it was first built in 1595.

But a planning application has now been submitted to turn it into a “Loungers” cafe/bar complete with an outdoor seating area.

The company, established in Bristol in 2002, now has 73 outlets around the UK and boasts a turnover of around £68 million.

The company describes its “Lounges” brand as “homely, relaxed and slightly eccentric.”

It says the brand is aimed at a wide customer base including “young professionals, mums, families, over 60s and students.”

The company has converted a number of listed buildings and currently Northampton Borough Council’s conservation team has no objection to changing the use of the Grade II listed building in the Market Square.

Senior planning officer David Trubshaw said: “The proposed alterations will not affect surviving historic fabric and are acceptable.”

The building survived the Great Fire of Northamptn in the 17th Century, when it was then the home of Dr Daniel Danvers.

After going through various alterations over the next 400 years it was rebuilt by order of the secretary of state in 1972 to its 16th Century specifications.

It has been vacant since 2012 and is currently owned by Legal & General.

Food outlets such as Miller and Carter, the Handmade Burger Company, Las Iguanas, Ed’s Diner and Wildwood had all expressed interest in the site, after it was marketed in October. However neither submitted a planning application.

Northampton Borough Council will decide on the Loungers bid in the coming weeks.