A former Pudsey bank has moved a step closer to becoming a new coffee shop, after council planning chiefs rubber-stamped an application to change the use of the building.
As reported last week by WLD, American multi-national coffeehouse chain Starbucks is interested in taking over the former HSBC building, on Church Lane.
The applicant was named as Church Court (Morley) Ltd, with the agent listed as Huddersfield-based Code L6 Architecture. WLD has learned that the local applicant is working alongside Starbucks with the proposal.
Council planning chiefs have now issued a ‘certificate of proposed lawful development’ to change the use of building from a bank to a coffee shop.
The building has remained empty since HSBC closed its branch, at the corner of Church Lane and Robin Lane, in October 2020. The building, which has a guide price of £475,000, is no longer listed on property firm Mark Brearley & Company’s website. It was last week listed as being ‘under offer’.
Trish Smith, chair of the Pudsey Business Network Forum, has already given a lukewarm reception towards Starbucks and encouraged people to support local independent business in the town.
Reaction on social media towards the possibility of Starbucks coming in to Pudsey has been mixed.
Posting on Facebook, Liz Walker said: “We want local traders not multi-national companies in Pudsey! We already have some fab coffee shops with great coffee and friendly service.”
Andrew Murphy added: “I think it’s what Pudsey needs, a large brand to invest and hopefully attract more business. People will Google the nearest Starbucks, not the little independents. I’m sure the smaller coffee shops have regulars that come for the friendly familiar faces and Starbucks will bring in the visiting trades.”
What does exactly Trish wants?!
As Andrew Murphy highlighted: this would bring more footfall and certainly more jobs into Pudseys
Sarif. I think what Trish is saying is that there is a finite number of similar businesses one can have in an area. Within a short distance we have Scrumdiddlyumptious, Old Booth’s Tea Rooms, Cafe Raine, Greggs, who serve coffee, Bean and Gone, to mention but a few. And the old Cafe Barthez in the small pedestrian precinct opposite the library is re-opening as a cafe. It stands to reason that one takes business away from the other? And then there are the attendant problems with parking etc. ??