New cafe and sandwich shop planned for former dance studio

Proposals have been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council for one of the units at Enterprise House in Thomlinson Road to be converted into a new eatery selling eat-in and takeaway food.

The site in question was last used as an academy of music and performing arts and has been vacant for more than a year, and planning documents state bringing the building back into use as a cafe would benefit the area.

Plans submitted by Mrs Pamela Wright state the cafe would sell hot dinners, breakfasts, hot and cold sandwiches, jacket potatoes, drinks and snacks, many of which would be healthy.

The cafe would also have several vegetarian and vegan options on its menu.

A planning statement said: “The menu will include hot and cold sandwiches, salads, jacket potatoes, hot and cold drinks, dinners, desserts, fruit, cakes, chocolate, crisps etc. I will be including a wide range of healthy options due to the nature of the surrounding businesses.

“I believe from the owners of the neighbouring properties there is a need for a food outlet and there is enough passing trade in the area to sustain this.”

Inside seating would be available for ‘at least eight people’ according to the plans and it is anticipated service would be 80% for in the cafe and 20% to takeaway.

The site’s proposed opening hours are 7am up until 7pm through the week, 8am until 4pm Saturday and 9am to 4pm on a Sunday, and four-part time staff would work at the cafe.

The first floor of the business would be used as a preparation area for cold buffets for outside catering, with tables and worktops for that use, alongside being used for equipment storage.

This site sits in the middle of a parade of units of mixed use, including a furniture upholstery, a tanning salon, photographer and tradesmen storage units and a hairdressers. A decision is expected to be made on the plans by the council’s planning department in the coming months.

To comment on the application visit the council planning portal online and search reference H/2019/0244.