Shrewsbury wine bar applies to replace shopfront on Grade II listed building

Plans have been submitted to Shropshire Council that would see the shopfront of 9 Shoplatch, a Grade II-listed late-Georgian building in Shrewsbury, replaced.

The application has been submitted by Ashley's Wine Bar, and the plans state that the new shopfront would be of "virtually identical style" but better suited to the building's use as a wine bar and provide outdoor seating.

The building was listed in 1972, as an example of an early 19th-century town centre building - despite that, the application argues that the shopfront has "no 19th-century character".

The application's Heritage Impact Statement reads: "The shopfront may have early-20th century origins but has evidently been remodelled on several occasions to cater for the several different uses the premises have been put to – especially towards the end of the 20th century and early in the 21st century when it was a building society, estate agents and then a wine bar. 

"It is not considered that in its present iteration, the shop front has much intrinsic historical value but does retain a polite scale and massing in the streetscape. The proposed replacement of the shopfront will result in minimal visual impact on the principal elevation of the listed building, as most of the basic design and detailing will be replicated in the replacement shop front – but just made more convenient for its present use."

The proposal suggests the addition of retractable awnings, which the applicants argue is "a feature of this part of the town centre".

The application continues: "Overall it is considered that the proposals will result in the loss of a relatively insignificant and much-altered element of the listed building and such loss would hardly be appreciated once the new replica shopfront has replaced it. 

"The overall character of the listed building, and its significance, would be retained. Therefore it is considered that there would be no harm – substantial or less than substantial – to the character or significance of the listed building." 

The application can be viewed online, on Shropshire Council's planning portal, using reference number:  24/04620/LBC