Historic Bath building set to be turned into pub

The site in Milsom Street could be converted into a pub

A pub chain has been granted permission to refurbish a historic city-centre building into a new site.

The former Victorian bank building, in 24 Milsom Street, Bath, was recently home to the Loch Fyne Fish Restaurant. 

Pub chain Greene King is now in the process of converting the Grade II listed building into a "gastro-pub."

Bath and North East Somerset Council granted planning permission in October but the company must wait for its construction plan to be approved.

It hopes to start work on 4 January and have the pub ready by mid-March, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says.

The work will include moving the kitchen, which is currently on the ground floor, into the basement to increase space for tables and chairs. There will also be trees and ferns installed in the outdoor terrace area.

A spokesman for Greene King said: "Much of the customer floor area will continue to be dining focused with only a relatively small area in front of a new bar given over to 'upright' drinking."

He added: "As pubs are community facilities, the change of use [from restaurant to pub] directly delivers a public benefit by creating a new community facility."

Greene King already runs three other pubs in Bath: the Westgate on Westgate Street, the Saracen's Head on Broad Street, and the Bear Inn in Bear Flat.

The new pub will be part of their Metropolitan Pub Company brand, the same as the Bear Inn.

As set out in the planning permission decision, customers will only be served and allowed on the premises until 23.00 GMT Sunday-Wednesday and midnight Thursday-Saturday.

Additional reporting by Emma Elgee