New role for famous Kettering landmark club, pub and restaurant

Work to convert an historic Kettering building has begun with scaffolding erected around the Victorian landmark which was once one of the town’s grandest clubs.

Built in 1889 as the Liberal Club in Dalkeith Place the imposing building was once home to the Trustee Savings Bank, Choi's Chinese Restaurant, Xtra pub finishing off as Remi's Bar and Nightclub.

After shutting its doors, Corby entrepreneur Surrinder Duggal applied in 2018 for planning permission (KET/2018/0736) to convert the spacious Gotch-designed three-storey former club into flats.

The application was turned down by the then planning authority, Kettering Borough Council, but planning inspectors overturned the decision in 2019 paving the way for a total of six flats on the first and second floors (APP/L2820/W/18/3217498).

Permission was granted by the Planning Inspector without onsite parking due to the ‘sustainable location’ and the’ close links’ to public transport, adding that the proposal would be ‘unlikely to result in an adverse impact on the local area through increased parking demand’.

In 2021 an application (NK/2021/0627) was then made to change the use from commercial to residential and convert the ground floor into three more flats – plans approved by North Northants Council (NNC).

Work to provide a bike store and bin area was made a condition of the approval.

Local historian Tony Smith submitted an application to Historic England to grant it listed building status – one of the few unlisted ‘Gotch’ buildings.

It was ultimately turned down by the Secretary of State in 2020 as numerous alterations to the interior had removed virtually all of the building’s original features.