Plans unveiled to turn well-known Northampton town centre shop into restaurant, cafe or bar

Plans have been unveiled to convert a well-known Northampton shop in the town centre into either a restaurant, cafe or bar.

Circus, in the Drapery, would stay as a retail unit but would have the flexibility to accommodate a bar, restaurant or cafe within the building.

MSA Properties Ltd has submitted the proposals to West Northamptonshire Council as the town and market 'strives to recover from the pandemic', according to planning papers.

Planning papers say: "The intended occupier would have flexibility to operate one of many alternative and attractive business operations.

"This could be a small independent restaurant, or a modest deli style café serving hot and cold sandwiches and salads."

The planning papers say that the shop could sell salads and sandwiches, while offering indoor seating and views of the All Saints Church area.

The documents also say that the potential use of a bar could attract a 'wider variety of business'.

The plans go on to say: "The flexible aspect of the planning permission would enable the applicant to test different uses as the market strives to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the town centre."

The conversion would make 'effective use of an underused unit which, in recent years, has not realised its full market or planning potential', the applicant added.

There would be no physical alterations to the building.