News: New bar and restaurant planned for Old Post Office

Fresh from renovating the George Wright Building, an inspired Rotherham businessman is looking to put his unique stamp on the town centre again with a new regeneration project.

Mark Mcgrail, owner of SME Environmental Holdings, led a £500,000 revamp of the George Wright Building - a Grade II listed "hidden gem" - which reopened as as boutique hotel, bar and restaurant earlier this year. It followed on from the completion of the 1915 Bar & Bistro on Domine Lane.

Now plans have been submitted by SME for the conversion of the Old Post Office building on Main Street / Market Street for commercial and residential use.

Sitting alongside 1915 and Westgate Chambers - which has had its own redevelopment plans approved - the Old Post Office has most recently been used as offices for the likes of Rotherham Rise, Direct Learning and Ant Marketing. It has around 6,600 sq ft of floorspace over four flours.

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The plans, drawn up by Self and White Design, are for a change of use to enable a restaurant, bar and kitchen to be created on the ground floor and cellar, with residential apartments on the first and second floors.

Proposals show that space could be created for 84 covers in the restaurant areas with the kitchen in the cellar.

Six residential units could be created on the first and second floors - a mix of studios, one and two bedroomed apartments - with separate access from the bar and restaurant.

The plans state: "The site is in a key location within Rotherham town centre with the potential to be a key component in the rejuvenation of Rotherham. It will bring vibrant leisure facilities and high quality residential accommodation right in the heart of Rotherham.

An end user for the bar and restaurant is not named in the plans but a potential Bierhalle, a Bavarian themed establishment, has already been announced for Rotherham.

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Whilst not a listed building, the attractive Victorian property is on Rotherham Civic Society's local list which compiles properties of architectural or historic interest. The society state that it was completed and opened in March 1907 having been designed by Mr W. Pott, ARIBA, of His Majesty's Office of Works.

The building features decorative carvings on the exterior including the Royal Arms and the arms of the Borough of Rotherham.

All architectural features are to be retained as part of the planned conversion with the outward appearance of the building expected to change very little.

Images: Google Maps