Town centre hotel and tearoom plan wins approval

Plans to turn a vacant Bingley town centre building into a tearoom and hotel have been approved after a similar application was refused last year.

The former building society offices will become a 12-bedroom hotel and a ground floor tearoom with space for 40 diners after being approved by Bradford Council.

The planning application said the building on Park Road would be named Florin as a tribute to its former use.

A florin is a two-shilling piece that was in circulation from 1849 until 1967.

The application said: "During research carried out about the history of the building, it was discovered that it was built as offices for Bingley Building Society. Our branding designer has developed a name and brand based on this connection to money."

Local Democracy Reporting Service, the business is expected to create about 25 full-time jobs.

A similar application was refused last year, with planners saying features such as UPVC windows would "detract from the appearance of the host building and are not considered to be acceptable".

The new, successful application addressed the concerns, including redesigned windows.

It said: "The number of vacant premises in Bingley appears to be lower than [in] neighbouring locations. However, this site has been vacant for several years, being used as retail and taxi offices most recently, and a solicitor's office before that.

"It is believed to have been constructed as a bank, labelled as such on a 1908 map."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.