New restaurant and flats approved at Scarborough’s former Royal British Legion Club

The Bar Street premises, which was home to the charity’s social club, closed four years ago due to financial difficulties caused by falling membership.

Now the town centre property will be transformed into a restaurant and shop on the ground floor with residential accommodation on the first floor.

Mrs D Savonina’s application stated that the “somewhat unwelcoming” front of the building would see several changes, including the introduction of three shop fronts.

A council report said that the approved plans were “considered to be an improvement to the visual character of the building and area”.

According to the submitted plans, the shop fronts will see the use of “a traditional, timber approach”.

Bar Street is a narrow, pedestrianised street that connects Westborough to Harcourt Place and is “characterised by commercial properties”, most of which have active shopfronts.

In 2021 the council approved plans to turn the site into shops and holiday flats and the authority’s report notes that the previously granted planning permission is still “extant” or valid.

The newly-approved residential accommodation will include an open plan kitchen, a living and dining room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms on the first floor with another two bedrooms on the mezzanine level.

Planning officers said the development sought to replicate the existing character of the area and was “not considered to result in a detrimental impact on the privacy of neighbouring properties”.

While the council’s environmental health team did not object to the plan, it noted the potential negative impacts of the restaurant on the residential accommodation.

It said potential impacts included “airborne noise transmission from amplified music, raised voices and fixed plant installations, but also odour associated with cooking activities”.

It was recommended that the restaurant and shop should not operate between 11pm and 7am and that a noise impact assessment has to be submitted and approved before opening.

The conversion of the former Royal British Legion Club was approved subject to conditions on Friday, January 19.