A shop which has lain empty for more than five years is set to get a facelift to try and attract a new tenant.
Since Argos closed in 2020, most of 154-167 Western Road has been unoccupied – apart from the eastern wing which is home to McDonald’s.
Now, owners Moretons Investments – which owns Imperial Arcade – is asking permission to tweak the frontage, installing three more double doors.
No internal alterations are currently proposed – but the extra doors would allow the unit to be subdivided more easily.
The application, written by planning consultants Stickland Wright, says the 1920s building was built when Western Road was aspiring to be “Oxford Street by the Sea”.
It says: “A new shopfront design is required to attract a new tenant at 157 to 162 Western Road.
“The new shopfront proposals reinstate the original lines and proportions of what would probably have been the original shopfront from the 1920’s and removes the large, deep Argos fascia board.
“This is a good opportunity to provide a shopfront design more in keeping with the existing building whilst at the sametime enhancing the streetscape.
“The proposed shopfront design supports the vision of restoring the building to its original use and preventing it from disrepair.”
The application says Moretons asked for pre-application advice last year for a more comprehensive scheme which included changing the use of the first and second floors to residential, to house 20 flats.
It also asked to change the permitted use of the ground floor to include food outlets or a gym as well as retail.
In response, the council’s planning officers recommended a more attractive storefront should be reinstated.
The building was originally built for Boots. It has been altered inside over the years to such a degree nothing remains of the original interior.
Rather strangely Argos did a complete new fit-out of this shop area less than 12 months before closing down.
Locals would rather they had saved the money, and potentially saved the store. It worked perfectly well just the way it was and it remains a tremendous loss of one of the most useful stores in the centre of Brighton.