Newcastle's burgeoning small bar scene could soon have a new player.
A development application lodged with Newcastle council proposes a small bar on the ground floor of an old building next door to the former Tower Cinemas in King Street.
The business, known as Vipen's, would open to a maximum of 25 customers until midnight every day of the week.
The proponents are planning no changes to the outside of the building.
The Newcastle Herald reported this month that the council had received a development application for a "Gatsby-style" small bar in Maitland Road, Mayfield, to be called Velvet @ Mayfield.
Newcastle's small bar scene has expanded rapidly in the past 10 years and now includes more than 15 venues, despite several high-profile closures.
The NSW government introduced a new small bar licence in 2013 for venues accommodating fewer than 60 customers.
The patron limit has increased to 120 since the 2013 laws came into effect.
