A FORMER city centre estate agents will be transformed into a new craft beer and organic wine bar after plans were backed by the council.

The ground floor of the Foregate Street building, last occupied by estate agents Reeds Rains, would be converted into a bar and coffee room selling craft beer and organic wine.

The bar would create four full-time and three part-time jobs, according to the planning application submitted to Worcester City Council.

Work would only be carried out to the ground floor of the building and because of its city centre location close to public transport, no car parking spaces would have to be provided.

A statement included with the application said: “The site is adjacent to the city centre and is an appropriate use for the site in that is close to sustainable transport links and would not have any detrimental impact on the existing uses.

“The proposal is unique to the area and help to create an exciting place to live, work and shop."

The city council said the bar could only open until midnight on Friday and Saturday and 11pm for the rest of the week.

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Security details - including CCTV - must also be provided before opening, the council said.

West Mercia Police had objected to the plan saying it had “significant concerns” because of the number of pubs and restaurants in Foregate Street and the surrounding area as well as the number of apartments.

The force’s design-out crime officer Jackie Godfrey-Hunt said the application needed to show what hours the bar planned to open and whether CCTV or other security measures would be installed – particularly as the craft beer and wine bar only seemed to be selling alcohol and had no plans to serve food.

West Mercia Police later withdrew its objection after discussing opening hours and security with applicant Mark Keily.

Applicant Mark Keily had a plan to open a brewery and taproom in a former boathouse in Diglis Basin backed by the city council last year.

The plan would see the former boathouse, which has been empty for a number of years, converted into a brewery producing four beers at a time and a taproom only selling the beers produced.

The proposed opening hours would be 4pm to 11pm between Monday and Friday and 12pm to 11pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Beer could only be brewed between 9am and 5pm.

Mr Kiely said the new brewery would employ four full-time and six part-time staff.