Plans for new bar cafe in prominent city site

A bar and cafe chain is planning to open up in one of Bradford's most prominent spaces.

Unit A in Centenary Square, a former restaurant and cafe, has been vacant for years, only used occasionally as a pop-up space for events.

But now national bar chain Loungers UK has applied for a licence to open the unit as an all-day bar and cafe, named Panno Lounge.

If approved, the new bar would be able to serve alcohol and food between 10:00 and midnight. People have until 17 September to comment on the licence application to the city council.

Loungers currently has more than 300 bars across the UK, with 277 of these being under the Lounge Café Bar umbrella.

The company's website describes it as a "substantial and growing operator in the UK hospitality sector".

The Centenary Square unit was used as a temporary space for the Bradford 2025 team before they moved into a former restaurant at the other side of the building.

Earlier this year cafe Cake 'Ole moved out of a unit next to City Park after a rental dispute with Bradford Council, which owns that building.

The building is now available to let for £30,000 a year.

Starbucks also recently vacated its City Park unit after opening new branches in Broadway, on Thornton Road and at Forster Square.

The unit is now available to let for £45,000 a year.

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