New coffee shop could bring empty Bognor unit to life

Customers could soon be enjoying coffees and cakes in the last empty unit in the Bognor Regis town centre precinct.

A proposal has been revealed to re-open and extend the capacity of the unoccupied premises in London Road.

A company called 6-8 London Road wants to formally change the use of the building at that address from a shop to a coffee shop on the ground floor, as well as creating a new coffee shop on the first floor.

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The scheme will create some 18 jobs – ten part-time and eight full-time – if it is approved by Arun District Council.

6-8 London Road’s planning agent Chris Moore says in a statement the proposed development will provide an extra sales area on the ground floor. It will also open up a slightly smaller first floor area to provide room for 36 customers.

On offer will be tea, coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks as well as sandwiches, paninis and cakes. Delicatessen products and bread will be sold to take away.

“...the proposed development makes efficient use of the site by providing a retail and coffee shop use which will contribute to the vibrancy of the area and not only provides refreshments to existing shoppers but also will help bring in additional visitors to the town centre,” states Mr Moore.

“The character of the area will be, therefore, unchanged.

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“The proposed use of the building continues what has been in existence for the past eight to nine years and would not be out of character with that of the surrounding retail uses within the local area.”

The building’s external appearance is set to stay the same with its new use.

The building at the precinct’s southern end has been used for various purposes from a building society branch and a boutique to a mobile phone shop.

Tchibo moved in during 2002 and ran a coffee shop with some retail sales. Red Cafe obtained the lease when the property became empty a few years ago and left last spring.