The Bay Horse looks set to have bolted from a York suburb after around 200 years.

Plans have now been submitted to convert the now closed pub in Fulford into a café with three flats on its upper levels.

Manchester-based Arborfield Estates, who bought the venue earlier this year, are now seeking approval for a change of use from City of York Council.

The developer says the use of the building for a pub with letting rooms in a conservation area has “ceased following a period of poor trading.”

Planning documents say there would be two 2-bed and one 3-bed flat where the guest and manager’s accommodation currently is, with each flat having independent access.

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The ground floor would retain commercial/ community by converting the bar/dining and kitchen area to form a coffee shop with kitchen, customer seating areas and relocated customer toilets.

An established operator has been found to occupy the coffee shop which would be open from early morning until late evening (opening hours to be established).

The submitted application says the existing building would be used without any extension or major alteration. Existing lean to outbuildings at the side of the rear would be removed and replaced with a simple entrance/fence.

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The conservatory would be rebuilt and re-roofed to become more substantial. Some doors would be widened for disabled access.

The application says the proposals represent the re-use of a previously-developed brownfield site. A proposed coffee shop is ‘the next best alternative’ as it follows ancillary coffee shop use at the former pub, with similar social aims.

A coffee would also similarly contribute to the vitality of Fulford centre businesses, while not harming York centre.

The flats would also make a ‘modest, but highly valuable’ contribution to the City Council’s 5-year housing supply.

The loss of the pub, it continued, came after income fell ‘over successive years.’ Its foormer operator Stonegate will have made efforts to boost the business, say through food provision.

“However, in light of its characteristics, location and existing provision, the Bay Horse has no such scope, nor has there been any interest from other operators to take it on as a going concern.”

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Recommending approval, the application added the conversion met council economic and social objectives in the coffee shop providing a service and helping Fulford centre at less disturbance to its existing residents. It also met environmental objectives in re-using an existing building.

“For these reasons, it is considered that the proposed development offers substantial benefits to the village and accords with the provisions of the development plan,” it also concluded.

Should City of York Council approve the work within the usual 8-week timeframe for small schemes, the developer hopes to complete the works and open the café by the end of 2024, as previously reported.