Liverpool’s old Bank of England could become restaurant
JSM Company Group’s proposals to transform the grade one-listed building are set to be approved by the city council at a planning committee meeting next Tuesday.
Wroot Design is the architect behind the scheme, which would see new life breathed into the former Bank of England building at 31 Castle Street. The former bank has been vacant since TSB Bank left in the 1990s.
Proposals for the three-storey building include the conversion of the ground- and first-floor levels to deliver a restaurant area and central bar, complete with private dining spaces.
Downstairs, the basement would house the kitchens and other back-of-house facilities, while storage and office space would be provided upstairs.
The existing disused car park space would also be altered to build a retractable glass section to be used as a bar in the summer.
As the Bank of England building is a grade one-listed property, only certain alterations will be permitted. The property was built in 1845 and remains “architecturally in good order”, according to a heritage impact assessment submitted by Townscape.
The main building’s elevations are to remain unaltered, while the additional extension attached to the rear is to have a new roof and new window openings created in two elevations.
Officers have recommended that councillors approve the scheme. This recommendation comes despite a number of concerns raised, most notably by councillors Nick Small and Christine Banks, who have highlighted the potential negative impact of the project on neighbouring residents.
To find out more about the plans, search for application numbers 22F/0422 and 22L/0469 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.
JSM has a wide portfolio across the city. Last September, the company was granted planning permission to transform the former NatWest building across the road at 20-34 Castle Street into a 92-bedroom hotel.
In October, JSM, along with Greenwood Developments, bought the Cavern Walks shopping centre for £7m for its conversion into a hotel.
