Plan to turn closed Bakewell bank into 'premium' restaurant

The building is in the heart of Bakewell

A former bank in the centre of a Derbyshire town could soon be serving a new purpose as a restaurant.

Bakewell's closed Royal Bank of Scotland branch, which first opened as a bank in 1838, shut in 2018.

The Grade II-listed site has stood empty in Rutland Square since.

Now Peak District entrepreneur Rob Hattersley, founder of Longbow Bars & Restaurants Ltd, wants to apply for permission to convert the premises into a "premium dining experience".

Longbow says if approved, the new venture would create 60 jobs.

Public drop-ins with Longbow will take place on 4 May and 6 May, from 10:00 to 16:00 BST, ahead of the submission of a planning application.

Residents can discuss the plans, find out more about job opportunities and suggest potential names for the restaurant.

People will be able to quiz Longbow's Stephen Atkinson (left) and Rob Hattersley (right)

Mr Hattersley said: "My hospitality career started in Bakewell when I was 14 years old, working at my family's restaurant, Aitch's Wine Bar and Bistro.

"I grew up in Bakewell so reviving the bank, and turning it into a place that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, would feel like coming home.

"It also feels right to be rescuing such an iconic building, and investing in the local economy."

Longbow Bars & Restaurants Ltd currently operates three venues in the Peak District: The Maynard in Grindleford, The George Hathersage, and The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water.