Plan to turn restaurant into events venue approved

River Thai Restaurant and Bar in Shrewsbury will become an events venue

Plans to transform a riverside restaurant into a bar and events venue have been given the go-ahead.

The former River Thai Restaurant on Smithfield Road, Shrewsbury, will switch its focus to hosting events like wedding receptions and corporate functions.

Minor structural work on the building began on 1 March and the kitchen has since been removed from the premises.

A retrospective planning application, submitted after work started, was approved by Shropshire Council earlier this week.

A statement submitted in support of the application, said the owners had decided to "remodel" the business in the wake of rising costs, including utility bills.

The business would be rebranded to Venue 7 as part of the changes and the bar would be open during the day and into the evening when functions are not taking place, the statement added.