New lease of life agreed for historic town’s former bank

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to turn a former Barclays bank in the centre of a historic market town into a bar and restaurant have been supported by a local civic group.

The Abergavenny and District Civic Society has told Monmouthshire County Council, which is considering a planning application for the three storey building, it would support the change of use from banking to A3 which covers food and drink premises.

The group, that has more than 100 members which aims to protect the town’s character and heritage as well support improvements, has welcomed a new use for the grade II listed building that was purpose built in 1892 for the Birmingham, District and Counties Bank.

Support

The civic society, in a comment submitted to the council’s planning department, said: “We support the proposed change of use from A2 (disused) to A3. This is an important listed building in the street scene and repurposing redundant banks such as this can be difficult to achieve.”

The group has suggested a proposal to seal the left hand entrance door be reconsidered as it could limit use of the upper floors, which aren’t part of the application, and are described as for use as office and further staff accommodation.

The civic group said there could be a potential for independent office use or as residential accommodation.

The application has been made by Anthony Thomas, of Forest Hill, London, and states the change of use would be to “Class A3 (drinking establishments), specifically within the basement and ground floor areas.”

The planning statement submitted with the application states: “The proposal is to convert the building into a bar/ restaurant (A3 – Drinking establishments ) at the ground floor and basement levels, which many similar bank buildings across the country have been similarly converted.”

Permission is also being sought for “minimal” changes to the building mostly related to modern alterations.

Barclays closed its Abergavenny branch in March 2024.