Plans for new café and bar at Scarborough's Clock Handyman hardware shop approved

Scarborough Council approved the plans for a new café and bar within Malton’s Yard at the rear of the Clock Handyman shop at 132 Victoria Rad on August 16.

An L-shaped former workshop building along the periphery of the courtyard will be converted into the new establishment to serve the home and garden centre during the day and offer food and drinks in the evenings or as a private hire venue.

The conversion will see the removal of domestic garage doors to be replaced with bi-fold doors, the installation of an external door and escape stair to the side as well as an extraction flue for the kitchen.

Applicants Mr Buglass and Mrs Kemp-Buglass said the venue could have a maximum capacity of up to 200 people while approximately 60 people could use the outdoor seating area.

A report prepared by the authority said the café and bar will offer the existing hardware store a place for customers to have food and drink whilst visiting during the day and it will remain open to customers during the evening “to offer an additional food and drink establishment within the Victoria Road vicinity or to be hired as a private venue”.

“The proposal is viewed as an opportunity to make use of the redundant workshop building, with a café and bar considered a viable town centre use,” Scarborough Council said.

Although the establishment will also have to seek a premises licence from the council, the authority said the café and bar’s proposed opening hours between 11am and 11pm was “considered reasonable”.

No objections were raised by the public, Highway Authority or council’s environmental health team during the consultation period.

The main shop front to Clock Handyman will also be altered, according to the plans, with the council suggesting that the proposed lobby entrance is “considered a welcome addition to add visual interest to the existing shop front”.

The plans were approved subject to conditions including opening hours, noise control, delivery times, and restrictions on playing live music after 11pm.