New cocktail bar and restaurant to take over former Leicestershire bank

An impression of the main room at ground floor submitted by the applicants
-Credit: (Image: Lloyd Harden Design)


A restaurant and cocktail bar is set to move into a former bank in Market Harborough after planning permission was approved. Everest Lounge, which already has a restaurant serving up Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan food in the town, put forward the plans to transform the former NatWest branch in St Mary's Road, and these were approved by Harborough District Council this week.

Pradip Karanjit, acting on behalf of the company, said the outside of the building would remain mostly unchanged, apart from the installation of a new illuminated sign, with the company logo and name. The new use for the property, which had bee a bank for more than 100 years before NatWest closed, will bring the "neglected building" back to life, he added.

The ground floor will be the main dining room under the new designs, with one of the former bank vaults transformed into a banquet experience with an "authentic culture theme". The first floor will feature a relaxed cocktail bar with casual seating.

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The existing seven car parking spaces and one disabled space will remain. The NatWest Bank branch closed in January 2023 and the building is currently empty.

The former Natwest Bank branch in St Mary's Road, Market Harborough
Decision on plans for restaurant in former bank -Credit:Google Maps

Everest Lounge currently has a restaurant also in St Mary’s Road in the town. It is understood this will be kept by the company, and an alternative use found for it. Restaurant management hopes its new venue will be open for Christmas, or early in the New Year.

Conditions attached to the planning permission reveal it can open between 12pm and 10pm Sunday through to Friday, and from 12pm until 11pm on Saturdays.

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