Fanny & Bacardi nightclub to become a church

The former club, pictured in 2016, has been empty since it closed five years ago

A former nightclub will be converted into a church following the refusal of a scheme to turn the building into a homeless hostel.

Wakefield Council has given permission for the Fanny & Bacardi bar to become a place of worship.

The property on White Horse Yard will be used by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Documents submitted to the local authority say the church is a “well-established international Pentecostal church with a local presence in Wakefield.”

The churches proposed opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 seven days a week.

A design and access statement confirms services will be held on Sundays for a congregation of up to 200 people, and the premises will also be used for youth groups and prayer meetings during the week.

The scheme does not include any changes to the building, which is described as having “limited architectural or conservation value.”

The building has been empty since the nightclub shut around five years ago.

A previous plan to turn the building into a homeless hostel in 2021

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, plans to turn the property into a homeless hostel were rejected by the council in 2021.

Planning officers said at the time the proposal was likely to lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour and crime in the city centre.

Recommending the church scheme for approval, a report stated: “Given the site’s current use as a nightclub, the building’s potential use as a place of worship is not considered to lead to an increase in potential for noise or disturbance.

“Whilst the use as a place of worship would operate at different times of day, and would generate a certain level of noise from the playing of musical instruments, singing or other activities associated with the church, these are considered to be less intensive than the nightclub use.”