North East company Kans and Kandy is set to take forward plans to transform an empty Newcastle city centre building into a new hotel, bar and brasserie.
19-21 Collingwood Street was originally destined to be turned into the plush Metropolitan House Hotel by the High Street Group, which acquired the building back in 2019. But those plans ended when the company collapsed, leaving debts of more than £200m. Now Seaham business Kans and Kandy, which owns and operates wholesale, property and charitable trust divisions with its portfolio extending across the region and beyond, is driving forward plans for a refurbishment of the building.
A planning application has been submitted, seeking permission to renovate and change the use of the building, which is currently used for retail and office space. The plans include the conversion of the ground floor and basement into a bar, while the upper floors would be transformed into a hotel, complete with a private terrace.
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The company plans to operate from 6.30am to 1.30am, with the brasserie open for early breakfasts for customers and visitors.
Within the application, the Kans and Kandy team has included a statement on the services The Metropolitan House will offer to business travellers and tourists, highlighting how it will offer a “wide range of entertainment, food and beverage options to suit everyone, including a lower ground fun space with live entertainment, recording studios and karaoke for all the family. Our ground floor modern contemporary brasserie will service a range of world foods, cocktails and fine wines daily. Our members only roof terrace will be one of the highlights of your stay, where you can relax in the sun, watch movies or simply enjoy the company of your friends and family.”
The application stresses: “Our proposal is to justify the bringing back into use of this building. We will also be using the building as a boutique hotel/ brasserie/ studios and roof top terrace and not a nightclub/fast food. We feel our proposal will enhance the street scene.
“The scale of the existing buildings will not be affected as a result of the proposed works. The works do not alter the scale, size or height of the buildings. The introduction of the garden terrace will create a green space for patrons and visitors alike.
“The aim of the proposals is to ensure the future retention of the property and creating more usable spaces. In our opinion the proposals reflect the historic character of the building and the surrounding area.
“This is a sensitive refurbishment and appropriate and sustainable reuse of this vacant building. Internally the building has undergone a lot of change in the past and is now essentially a shell with only the main architectural elements of outer walls. We have also demonstrated with photographic images and plans what our proposal will entail: a quality boutique hotel, brasserie, studios and roof top terrace.”
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