Shrub owner gets go-ahead to turn former Chester gaming café into new bar

-Credit: (Image: Google)
-Credit: (Image: Google)


Plans to turn a former Chester city centre gaming café into a new bar have been given the go-ahead. The proposal for the old Geek Retreat premises on Watergate Street has been rubber-stamped by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Businessman Calum Adams, who opened popular vegan restaurant Shrub on the nearby Eastgate Row in 2020, is behind the plans. Geek Retreat, part of a national chain, closed its doors in late January this year having launched in April 2022.

Prior to this the vacant unit was used as a betting office for many years and was occupied by both Coral and Betfred during that time. The new venue will operate as a bar with food provision.

In a report recommending approval for a change of use of the premises, council case officer Helen Jameson said: "During the day, the prevailing background noise levels associated with the existing uses in the city centre would mitigate the impacts of the proposed use and it is not considered that the development would generate noise which would have a significant adverse impact.

"Several existing night-time uses are present in the immediate vicinity and, again, the existing uses would have a mitigating effect in terms of noise. It is considered necessary, however, to impose conditions relating to the hours of use and the management of waste disposal during the evening and night-time. Subject to this, it is not considered that the noise generated within the building would have a significant adverse impact upon the amenity of neighbouring residential properties."

Last month we reported that a premises licence application had been lodged for the new venue. In the application, it states that the establishment - 'trading name TBC' - will be a "higher end drinking establishment also serving food".

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