Plan for city takeaway revived

Plans for a new takeaway in the middle of Hereford are back on – but it is unclear what sort of food it will serve.

Anosh Thomas earlier applied for permission for an internal fit-out and kitchen extraction equipment at 25 Commercial Street in the city, along with listed building consent for the work at the grade II listed building.

The proposal was linked at the time to the Chicking chain of halal chicken fast-food outlets, which has previously said it intended to open a branch in the city.

Both bids were then withdrawn after the council’s historic buildings officer said the planned suspended ceiling across the building’s “ornate” beams, along with the extraction flue, would be “inappropriate, and would harm the significance” of the building.

Having formed part of the former Chadd’s department store, the externally unassuming building next to Preeces Passage lay empty for a number of years before briefly housing the Earthing Zero Waste Shop and vegan café in 2020-21.

Now a revised bid by Mr Thomas for listed building consent (number 260442 ) again proposes that the ground floor “will be converted for use as a fast food take-away and eat-in restaurant”.

But this will nor require “structural alterations to the historic fabric, and will, in the main, consist of cosmetic alterations to the existing interior of the building”, a statement with his application says.

It will however still require a new kitchen with piping and an external flue.

Mr Thomas was asked what sort of restaurant was being proposed.

Comments on his application can be made until May 10.