Post Office cues: Pool hall and bar plan for empty Pontefract town centre building

Developers want to deliver a conversion for Pontefract's old Royal Mail buildings, on Ropergate in the town.

The Post Office closed in August 2019 and has been vacant ever since.

Planning permission has already been granted to turn part of the site into residential units, with the first occupants due to move in within the next month.

An architect's office is also expected to be based on the premises.

Now, plans to turn most of the building's ground floor into a pool hall have been put forward, with developers believing it will boost footfall in and around Pontefract town centre outside of normal shopping times.

The application says the venue will feature eight pool tables, a seating area, a bar and a kitchen for preparing bar snacks.

In their heritage statement outlining the plans, DMS Architecture said: "The proposed change of use will allow for the full occupation of the commercial use at ground floor level (the rear section is to be owner-occupied by an architectural office), bringing continued use and commercial activity to a prominent building in the town centre.

"There are limited public house/bar uses in this part of the town centre, and this will bring extended activity to Ropergate during and outside of the typical trading hours of the surrounding retail uses – complementing the limited number of restaurants and evening activity in close proximity."

Local Democracy Reporting Service