Is former restaurant to become a late-night bar? (From Knutsford Guardian)

Is former restaurant to become a late-night bar?

8:30am Friday 12th October 2012 in News By James Wilson

MYSTERY surrounds the future of one of Knutsford’s most talked about buildings after a firm applied to reopen it as a late-night bar.

A firm called Galia Ltd has applied to Cheshire East Council for a licence for the former Canvas Bar and Restaurant on King Street, which would see alcohol and late night music played late into the night, seven days a week.

In July, Knutsford resident Charlie Williams took over the marketing of the building and told the Guardian there had been interest from local and national companies.

But on Companies House – a database of businesses – the only company named as Galia Ltd is listed as being in ‘administration’. When its administrator BDO was contacted by the Guardian on Monday it was unaware that an application had been submitted In recent years the building had fallen into a state of disrepair and its owners boarded up the property in 2011 to protect it from the elements.

Knutsford Town Council had asked the borough council to look into it and the authority’s environmental health team visited on numerous occasions due to the amount of pigeon droppings.

Clr Andrew Malloy told the Guardian that it was ‘fantastic’ news the listed building could about to be transformed.

“Its condition has been raised by the conservation and heritage group and also by the environment committee of this council,” he said.

“It was in such a state that the council requested to have it boarded up. It’s a listed building and an eyesore on the street at the moment. If we could see it back into use that would be fantastic – and when it is a listed property it’s even more important.”

Anyone wishing to make representations should write to Cheshire East Council at licensing@cheshireeast.gov.uk by October 30.