1:00pm Tuesday 2nd March 2010
By Katy Islip
A NEW cafe and shellfish stall could be coming to Leigh Old Town, if plans to replace a cockleshed are approved.
The East Anglia Pub Company, which owns the Peter Boat pub, has applied to demolish the Ivy Osborne cockleshed and replace it with a new cafe running across the end of the pub car park.
The cockleshed would be replaced with a larger weatherboard building, painted black, with a slate roof and full-length windows facing the pub.
Brian McKay, East Anglia Pub Company co-director, said: “The property is owned by us and we lease it to Osbornes. We own the land, but rent the business space.
“We are just making the facility better and we are working closely with Osbornes to offer better facilities.”
No parking spaces would be lost under the plans, which also state the new project will raise the number of full-time jobs provided from one to two, and also create two part-time jobs.
The new cafe would retain a serving hatch on to the High Street for the shellfish stall, plus an inside seating area including a servery, wash room and disabled access toilet.
Mr McKay said: “We hope it will enhance Osbornes. At the moment it doesn’t offer hot or cold drinks, so it is enhancing their existing facility.”
The design will be sympathetic to the surrounding area and will contribute to the area’s tourism.
The application follows the other changes to Old Leigh businesses in a bid to boost trade, including converting the back of the Mayflower Fish and Chips into the Mayflower pub.
Peter Wexham, Lib Dem Leigh councillor, said: “I think this sounds like a good thing, as long as it’s not too big.”
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