New £1m bar and restaurant being planned for Sherborne’s town centre
£1m Loungers bar and restaurant planned for Sherborne sparks debate over future of high street
Plans have been submitted for a new £1 million Loungers bar and restaurant in Sherborne town centre,
Loungers UK Ltd, which operates the Lounge and Cosy Club chains, wants to convert a former clothing store into what it describes as a “food-led café restaurant bar”.
If approved, the venue would create around 30 full-time and part-time jobs.
The business has applied to Dorset Council to sell alcohol from 10am until midnight, seven days a week, with breakfast service from 8am.
The unit, previously occupied by M&Co and currently home to The Original Factory Shop, would undergo only minor external alterations.
A separate planning application is being considered for new signage, including a menu board, and for cooking and extraction equipment to support the kitchen.
Loungers, which now has around 300 sites across the UK, has built its brand by opening in market towns and suburban centres, often in historic or listed buildings.
In its planning statement, the company said its venues are designed to be “welcoming and inclusive”, catering for families, dog owners and a wide range of customers throughout the day.
But not everyone in Sherborne is convinced. So far, one public objection has been lodged with the council, with a resident warning that the town risks becoming dominated by hospitality and charity retail.
The objector said: “We don’t need another bar/restaurant. That’s all Sherborne is turning into: charity shops, coffee shops, bars and restaurants. That’s what’s killing the town.”
The proposal comes as many traditional high streets struggle with the shift to online shopping and rising business costs.
Dorset Council has yet to make a decision on the licence or associated planning applications.