'Stylish' new Chester bar St Ursula's earmarked for old toy shop site

Gary Porter

18 June 2024 at 7:27 am·2-min read

A new bar called St Ursula's could soon be opening in a former toy shop premises in Chester city centre. The proposed Watergate Street venue is earmarked for a storage unit formerly occupied by Toycraft, which ceased trading in 2018.

The trading name of the 54-seater bar has been revealed in a premises licence application lodged with Cheshire West and Chester Council by Thorn Restaurant Ltd. The vacant unit is based at the Grade I listed building known as St Ursula's.

The application details state: "Bar at street level. No external area within demise but applicant to apply for tables and chairs licence in future." The opening hours in the application are 7am until 12.30am, apart from Friday and Saturday when the closing time is 1am.

READ: Mowgli reveals opening plans for new Cheshire restaurant as bookings open 'Taking my Indian home kitchen to this community makes me so excited - it's a market town where I spend so much of my time'

READ: Former Chester dessert shop could become new venue serving 'freshly baked goods' Bishop Lloyd's is also applying for a booze licence

The premises licence application, which the public can have their say on until July 11, comes after both full and listed building consent applications were submitted to the council at the end of last year. The change of use proposals, which includes internal alterations and refurbishment work, have yet to be ruled on.

The planning application states: "The site was formally occupied by a toyshop storage facility ‘Toycraft’ but is now vacant. Consent is sought to allow a bar use to operate from the currently vacant space, the associated basement will be used for storage only.

"No structural changes are to be made to the internal or external of the site. The proposals offer a casual, stylish setting for customers to socialise, offering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

"There will be the provision of seating to accommodate 54 people through confession boxes, bench seating, bar seats and low level seating designed around the existing internal vaulted structure. Alongside the seating, there will be a new bar area added and two WCs to the rear of the property, in addition to a new service room."

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