One of York’s more imposing buildings is about to enter a new chapter.
Foss Bridge House is the three-storey building which was famously home to the FR Stubbs ironmongers for nearly a century.
Stubbs moved out in 2001, and then fish restaurant chain Loch Fyne took over the ground floor in 2006.
That shut suddenly last November. Loch Fyne owners Greene King did toy with the idea of turning it into a bar but that came to nothing.
Now, though, a well-known York restaurant is set to move in.
Plans have been submitted to turn the ground floor into Marzano Italian Grill.
The current Marzano restaurant is found just down the road on Fossgate. Previously home to the Masons bar and grill, it was bought by Salem Khalifa and turned into a restaurant serving pasta, pizza and grilled dishes in 2017.
Now he’s relocating the business to Foss Bridge House.
Salem said: “As with our current location, where we preserved elements from the 1928 George Mason shop, we’re committed to honouring York’s rich history.
“This Grade II listed building appealed to us for exactly that reason. We aim to embrace the building’s historic charm while creating a more spacious and elevated dining experience for our guests.”
Foss Bridge House dates from 1878 when it was built for the linen drapers WJ Whitehead & Co. It is Grade II listed.
Work is now underway to convert it into Marzano. The plan is to open the restaurant before the end of the year. “We’re not rushing – it’s about getting it right for York and our valued customers,” Salem added.
According to planning documents: “The proposed signage scheme for the Marzano Italian Grill restaurant in York is designed to be sympathetic to the building’s historic architecture while also providing clear and effective branding for the business.
“The existing signwriting on the building will be replaced with a new design that is both stylish and in keeping with the surrounding area.”
One change shown on the plans – while Loch Fyne had the words “Foss Bridge House” next to its name, the new restaurant has “Fossgate Bridge House”.
You can read and comment on the plans here.
Marzano’s is continuing to serve up Italian dishes from its current home on Fossgate. And Salem says he has plans for that site too.
“Let’s just say the future is looking very bright,” he said.