An empty shop in a prime Aberystwyth town centre street should be allowed to be used for selling food and drink, despite concerns that it is not suitable, planning officers have said.

The former Thorntons shop on Great Darkgate Street has been empty since January 2018, when the company closed a series of stores across the UK.

Now the owner, Freehold Properties Ltd, is seeking permission to change the designation of the premises from A1 retail use to A3 food and drink. They have suggested opening times of 7am to 11pm.

Aberystwyth Town Council objected to the plan, saying that the shop would not be suitable as a café or restaurant without a major internal renovation.

But despite that, councillors on the authority’s development control committee meeting on Wednesday will be told that the application can be approved and that losing a retail premises would not adversely affect the street.

A report says: “Interest in A1 has been limited, therefore the application has been submitted to seek an A3 use to increase the possibility of obtaining tenants.

"The reuse of the property would be of benefit to the vitality of the town centre as a whole and would dramatically improve the appearance of this area especially when considering that there is also an empty A1 property next door.”

It adds: “As the proposal does not involve any changes to the exterior of the building, it is not felt that this would have any effect on the listed building nor the Aberystwyth Conservation Area, however it is acknowledged that a further A3 may require changes to the internal layout, as highlighted by Aberystwyth Town Council and a third party representative, and it is likely that further consents would therefore be required.”