A prior application was for dorm space for students.
According to new plans, a former pub on Wearside might become a bar and restaurant. The planning division of Sunderland City Council approved a planning application for The Eastender at High Street East earlier in July 2022.
This featured a proposal to convert the facility from a bar to a restaurant and to renovate the current Hendon ward property. A prior application to convert the structure into student housing was made and later withdrawn, according to a design and access statement sent to the council.
Other ideas to build housing and public spaces for a lounge bar and event space were also explored but were not put forward. With renovations to interior floors on two levels, new proposals seek to modernise the abandoned buildings.
The renovations are intended to turn the structure into a hotel that respects the surrounding conservation area. The lower ground floor and ground level would both receive a comprehensive update, with new bar, kitchen, and seating areas as well as up-to-date restrooms, according to a design and access statement.
The walls will be replastered or painted externally in a colour that will be decided with the planning authority. The planning application does not include any information on the intended opening times or employment.
The applicant has “engaged in communication with a cross section of the immediate public who have voiced their support for the ideas,” according to a submitted community statement. After a period of consultation, Sunderland City Council is anticipated to make a decision on the bar and restaurant plan in the upcoming months.
