AN Asian food cafe in Winchester is set to expand after plans were approved to move premises.
Jo Lao, from Bento Factory, had a planning application approved to change the use of 3 St Thomas Street from retail to cafe/restaurant.
The plan is to move from their current premises at 1 St Thomas Street to be able to accommodate more customers.
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Bento Factory serve a variety of Asian dishes such as sushi and kimbap. It also serves Vietnamese coffee.
On the application's planning statement, it said: “The proposal is to convert the existing retail space into a café and restaurant with tables to eat in and serving takeaway options. This space would be to accommodate the Bento Factory, which is a successful small business which has outgrown its very small existing premises two doors up the road at number 1.
“The proposed works will provide much a much-needed larger premises for the Bento Factory restaurant/café very close to their current premises and within a mixed-use area containing other similar facilities.
“The scheme will convert the ground floor of this building from retail to café/restaurant use, in order to enable a successful local business to expand into new premises, only a few doors down from their existing location. The existing residential use will remain as is on the upper floors.
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“No changes to the external façades are proposed, with only extract vents to the low-level rear roof, which is not visible from the street. Minimal internal changes will not significant affect the historic listed fabric or the character of the building.
“The proposal sensitively converts the existing with no materially affect on the setting of the nearby listed buildings or the character of the conservation area while making a positive contribution to a thriving local business.”
The City of Winchester Trust supported the application and said: “We welcome a local business wanting to grow.”
The planning officer's assessment said: “The site currently has a retail use and the owners wish to relocate their food business, the Bento Factory, from no 1 due to a requirement for additional space.
“The change of use requires some minor internal and external alterations to facilitate the change. Externally, the only change is the addition of a flue to the rear, lean-to extension roof. This is considered to be relatively minor and not able to be seen within the wider conservation area.”
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