PROPOSALS to convert a vacant Carlisle estate agents, and offices, into a bar have been submitted.

The city council received plans on Monday for the Grade II listed premises at 10 Devonshire Street, the former PFK estate agency, who has since moved to Rosehill Business Park.

Proposals are for the “change of use of the ground and first floor from an estate agents to bar, including construction of new accessible toilet and internal escape corridor to rear”.

The applicant is listed as Ben Campbell from Carlisle.

Plans come after a series of coronavirus lockdowns spelt the end for much of the city’s night time economy, including the Circle Bar, in Lowther Arcade, which announced its permanent closure last month after an “extremely hard year”.

The application also comes as a tonic to those who feared the city centre would be turned into a ‘ghost town’ after high profile closures such as the Debenhams store in The Lane Shopping Centre earlier this month.

According to the design heritage statement, by the Carlisle based BlackBox Architects Ltd: “The proposals comprise the conversion of the existing ground floor commercial unit with associated first floor accommodation from its current use as class E office use to sui generis under the updated planning use classes to be utilised as a bar.

“The building is Grade II listed and as such impact on this has been considered.”

It added: “The first floor is to have an existing modern stud partition to the centre of the space removed to open this space up.

“The primary alterations here will be to adequately fire and soundproof the building for building regulation purposes and safety of the existing residents of the building and users of the commercial property.”

Recently the Anatolia Turkish Restaurant, on Abbey Street, opened following the easing of lockdown restrictions

It replaced the former Pompeii Steakhouse which closed its doors for good during the lockdown last year.

For more information about the application go online to the city council’s website at: publicaccess.carlisle.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationdetails

The application reference is 21/0530 and 21/0531