Three Isle of Wight town centre businesses could take a step back in town later this year.
Heritage improvements are proposed for the frontage of the Gambling Man barbers and The Crown Hotel in St Thomas’s Square and 69 High Street in Ryde, giving them a more traditional look.
It is part of the Ryde High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) initiative to help sympathetically regenerate high streets.
The improvements could include changes in signage, added lights and a new shop entrance.
£1 million funding to get projects started
Historic England designated Newport and Ryde as HAZs in 2020, with funding of more than £1 million to get projects started.
Planning agents ERMC, on behalf of all businesses, said the aim of the HAZ was to harness heritage value to make the zones more attractive to residents, businesses, investors and tourists.
Changes to Gambling Man
At the Gambling Man, the signage could be lowered to reflect historic proportions, with a timber framed window bay installed and new shop doors.
The Crown Hotel
Across the road, at The Crown Hotel, which was built in 1820 and is Grade II listed, modest improvements are planned.
They include a lighting scheme along parts of the building and signage refurbishment.
69 High Street
Down the High Street, number 69, a former engraving shop, is preparing for a new business, Aladdin’s Cave, to move in following some cosmetic alterations.
More traditional signage could replace the plastic one as well as repairing and refurbishing original features and installing a new shop entrance.
In planning documents, ERMC said the changes would remove the unattractive and utilitarian shopfront in favour of new elements which seek to reflect a more traditional appearance.
A traditional-style advertisement would be painted onto the side of the building, facing St John’s Road.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 22/02303/FUL, 22/02304/FUL and 22/02307/FUL, on the IW Council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 10th February.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
Image: james kovin under CC BY 2.0
