By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
Part of a ‘charming’ Newark town centre building will no longer be immediately sold off by the local council after it is refurbished.
The three-storey café building in the marketplace is currently dilapidated after being vacant for more than a year.
Newark & Sherwood District Council had originally planned to sell off the upper floor as a two-bed apartment after refurbishing the entire building.
However, councillors decided the property was “too lovely to let go”, and have now left the door open to keeping all of it.
Plans for the £140,000 refurbishment came to Cabinet on Tuesday (March 26).
Councillors were told that the building was currently too run down to use as either a business or a home, and needs work throughout.
The original plan would have been have put the flat on the market for around £134,000, recouping the cost of the work, with the ground floor business put up for rent again.
Councillor Paul Taylor (Lab) said: “This building is particularly valuable asset to the town, in a fantastic location.
“With all the exciting work planned for the market square, it would be premature to dispose of it.”
Councillor Rowan Cozens (Ind) described it as a “gem of a property” and “absolutely charming.”
She said: “The upper floor would make a lovely place to work. It’s too lovely to let go.
“I’m thrilled to see it refurbished, but we should be holding onto the building and discuss future ideas then.”
Councillor Emma Oldham (Ind) suggested the entire building could be converted into a “beautiful tourist attraction”.
She also called for the town’s coat of arms which was painted on the shop’s front to be kept somewhere in the town, saying: “It makes people feel proud of Newark.”
Cabinet members were told that if the refurbishment money wasn’t recovered from the sale of the flat then it would have to come from somewhere else.
It was agreed to give the refurbishment the green light, and to decide on the building’s future use at a later date.
The building is considered a prominent location in the town centre, fronting onto both the Market Place and Queen’s Head Court.
A council report says the work would “create sustainable economic growth and provide housing within the town centre with the knock-on effect of a more vibrant and active town centre”.
