Opinion has been split by a plan to turn a closed down Nottingham city centre bar into a café. The former Gincident bar in Friar Lane, Nottingham would be turned into a new café if Nottingham City Council approves the plan.
Gincident opened in 2017 but was closed and then put up for let in January. Local residents were divided as to whether another café would offer something to shoppers they did not already have.
Denise Kellichan, 72, who lives in Nottingham, thought the scheme was not needed. “Cafés are all over, there are too many. I don’t know what they could do with this space instead, but I would definitely not like to see an eatery as there are far too many,” Ms Kellichan said.
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Retired Sue Ogle, 74, from Nottingham, added: “I don’t think a new café would benefit this road because you already have a couple around here. We’re getting too many. I don’t know what else they could do, but certainly not a café because that’s all we’re getting – cafés and charity shops.”
No changes are planned to the outside of the shop. There will be a seating area and toilet facilities for customers.
Other locals thought the café could be a successful addition to the city. Pamela Glover, 54, from Beeston, said: “Another café would be alright, I don’t mind a café. I was looking around the other day and there’s not a lot of choice so I wouldn’t mind another café.”
Steve Schwartz, 44, from Nottingham, added: “We have a bar, a Starbucks, a Costa, the Kitty Café all on this road.
"The new café that they want to open has to have something new to offer, whether it be special baked goods that they make in house, just something to make it different from what’s available. If they can do that, fine. If not, it will just fade into the background.”
The applicant, Emirhan Polat, said the new café would "complement other shops and services in the local area" if approved. In a planning document, it was said the applicant had already invested £45,000 into internal works.
It added the applicant had started work to convert the property after being incorrectly told it already had the required planning permission. The application is pending consideration by Nottingham City Council.
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