A store which was left vacant after the sudden departure of its tenant could soon become someone’s home in the heart of York.
It was back in September that we reported how the former Grimoire Bookshop on High Petergate was cleared out in a hurry.
The building’s owner, Peter Docwra, told us that the tenant was in arrears with her rent – then cleared all the thousands of books in stock overnight, and left.
Mr Docwra, who is managing director of Ashtons estate agents which operates next door to the former bookshop, bought the building because it was where he originally launched the business in 1998.
Immediately after the departure of the Grimoire Bookshop, which specialised in science fiction and fantasy titles, he said he hadn’t decided what to do next with the property.
Now, though, a planning application has gone into City of York Council to turn 7 High Petergate from a shop into a three-bedroom home.
The three-storey Grade II listed building dates from the 1600s. Its ground floor has been a shop since the 19th century and includes some historic features.
“The fire sign, the jettied front elevation, sash windows and historic shopfront, the nineteenth century floors and fittings and the lime plastered walls with their patina of age all contribute further to the building’s historic interest,” a heritage report states.
No changes would be made to the historic exterior under the plans. “However it is proposed that the more modern flat roof to the rear single storey element will be removed to create a external courtyard with the existing external walls remaining in place to enclose this,” planning documents state.
“In addition it is proposed to the front elevation that the large shopfront glazing will receive an obscure glazing film to provide some privacy from the street front.”
They add: “This change of use will provide a high-quality dwelling, which will maintain the existing building and guarantee the sustainable use of the property.”
You can read the planning documents and comment on the application here.
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