Alnwick pub set to reopen as bar, restaurant and accommodation

An application has been submitted to Northumberland County Council for 24 Fenkle Street, which was formerly Doc’s and before that 3 Wise Monkeys.

It seeks permission for a range of internal alterations and the change of use from bar use in the entire building to bar/restaurant use at basement and ground-floor level and short-stay commercial visitor accommodation on the first floor.

The proposed floor plans show bars plus seating areas on the ground floor and basement levels, while the toilets would be on the ground floor.

A planning statement explains that ‘minor alterations are proposed to reconfigure the ground-floor bar area and provide improved toilet facilities. The basement of the property, currently used for storage only, would form part of the A4 (drinking establishment) offer with very few alterations needed’.

The bar would be accessed from both the central Narrowgate entrance as well as the Fenkle Street main entrance, while the existing staircase would link the two floors.

The upper floor would be subdivided to provide three units of visitor accommodation, accessed from the Fenkle Street entrance and via the main stairs.

The document describes the upper floor as ‘underutilised space which is suitable for an alternative use’ and suggests its conversion to visitor accommodation is consistent with the objectives for the town centre in the Alnwick and Denwick Neighbourhood Plan.

It also states: ‘Narrowgate is currently the subject of a first-stage pedestrianisation scheme and it is assumed that this area would be formally pedestrianised at some stage in the near future and the applicant would wish to explore the possibility of an external area subject to necessary permits and planning approvals. This is not included within the application at the present time.’

A listed building consent application has been submitted as well.

Elsewhere in the town, the White Swan Hotel is also seeking listed building consent for internal alterations to form two new apartments from six existing staff accommodation rooms.