UP to 12 jobs will be created if planners agree to allow a landmark town centre shop which was once a hotel to be turned into a Costa Coffee outlet.
NewRiver Retail, who bought the Horsefair Shopping Centre two years ago from Zurich Insurance, has presented its proposals to Fenland District Council.
NewRiver hope to be allowed to go ahead with converting 40/41 Market Place to a Costa outlet together with a new extended shop front behind the existing colonnade of 40 Market Place. Ground floor level accommodation beneath the existing undercroft will also be extended.
The building is one of the key anchor developments of the Horse Fair and is a grade II listed building.
The three storey building currently comprises retail on the ground floor, part retail and part office on the first floor, and office on the second floor.
O2 formerly leased the building but moved out in June when their lease expired.
NewRiver’s agents insist their proposals will maintain the historic context of the building which, in the 19th century, was The Ship Hotel. It was listed in 1969.
Horse Fair Shopping Centre opened in 1988 and comprises 26 units totalling some 92,000 square feet.
NewRiver says their Costa proposals do not specify extra parking since the Horse Fair already provides 400 spaces in a multi storey car park.
They also propose installing what they term “destination signage” to increase foot fall.
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