Vacant Wellingborough town centre pub to be turned into a cafe and apartments after plans approved
Plans have been approved to convert The Fiddler’s Elbow in Wellingborough into a mixed retail space as well as three new apartments.
The former pub in Church Street, which was once The Sun and later The Drum & Monkey, will be converted into three apartments, a ground floor cafe and an area for a greengrocer.
According to plans, the first floor existing five-bedroom public apartment will be converted into three separate apartments, with two one-bedroom and one two-bedroom flats.
Documents state: “Introducing more residential units to the town centre also ensure more footfall for the local area which increases vitality and an increased footfall for local businesses.
"The former pub has reached the end of its shelf life.
"There are already existing pubs and night clubs in Wellingborough which are struggling to keep afloat, so it would be a risk venture for any new owner to re-open the pub as the level of risk is just too high.
“Weighing up the costs of the land, and the current development costs, the most practical way forward is for a scheme which we have proposed.
"This not only brings life back to a redundant building, but it also ensure more business and residents can be provided to Wellingborough town centre.
“Wellingborough is unfortunately struggling to pick itself back up after Covid, so we should encourage investment from private companies who want to inject life back into redundant sites, especially prominent sites like ours.”
Plans note that the removal of a nightclub from the town centre ‘will have no negative impact on the area’ due to two still remaining, however while The Gloucester remains open, The Palace announced its closure on social media earlier this month. Plans were submitted before the latter’s departure from the area.
The cafe will use the existing entrance from Church Street, with a secondary entrance being provided from Herriotts Lane, with access for wheelchair users.
Wellingborough Town Council had no objections to the plans, believing it to be ‘a good use of the unused building’, though concerns were raised over the allocated residential parking requirements.
Plans do not include any provision for additional parking on the basis that the three apartments total fewer bedrooms (four) than the five currently in the building, and it is in ‘a highly sustainable location’ being a short walk to the amenities in the town centre.
The site currently sits vacant, and plans say the former toilets will be converted into a kitchen area leading onto area for serving ‘hot Asian inspired food and snacks’ as well as an area for the sale of sweets and dry food located on the left-hand side of the ground floor.
A new wall will divide the ground floor, with one side a café style seating area, and the other for the provision of a grocery store.
Plans say the apartments will be independent to the commercial use on the ground floor, with a separate single access point from the side elevation of the property.
Read the full plans here, or by searching NW/24/00443/FUL on the North Northants Council planning portal.