Cocktail bar and restaurant approved for former bank

An artist's impression of how the refurbished banking hall will look

Plans to turn a former town centre bank into a cocktail bar and restaurant have been approved.

The NatWest branch in St Mary's Road, Market Harborough, closed its doors to customers in January 2023.

Harborough District Council has now approved a proposal to renovate the building, which served as a bank for more than 100 years.

The proposal has been drawn up by Pradip Karanjit, who currently runs a Nepalese restaurant in the town.

The external character of the building will be maintained, the applicant said

Documents lodged with planning officials said the external character of the building would be maintained but repairs would be made to the front of the property.

They said the bank would be refurbished internally, "not only offering a new experience and service to the community but to bring life back to this neglected building".

According to the application, the project will create an "international dining experience".

It said it would also ensure "good use and maintenance of the redundant site".