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.
Yes. But the closure was around Covid restrictions together with a national store closure scheme. With an increased focus on Argos counters within Sainsburys stores post takeover. Although some large stand alone outlets remain eg Carden Avenue.
Just what we need in Brighton, more shops.
But then Aldous Huxley said in “Brave New World” that future societies will only be concerned with shopping, drugs and sex. What a prescient mind that geezer had.
Miss Bettsy says:
BUILD HOMES FOR PEOOLE TI LIVE IN!
Soz for the typos, I just got my nails done. At the nail shop. Simply could not live without nail shops!
So you don’t want a shop where there has been a shop for 100 years… Very odd
why not have a asda local or asda express then now seriously
LIkely not with a Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose being so close by.
why not have all the mobile shop and hair dress all in one place now but on two floors then now
or move sainsbury local store in the place
why not a Toby craving then on the site then now
I vote too right put a toby there
why not a Toby craving then on the site then now I’m this area then please
Is a craving similar to a carvery? Asking for a friend
Can’t really Build homes in the Old Argos Store.
But there’s quite a few empty shops now along this stretch of Western Road
Argos
Bert’s
Poundland
C&H fabrics
The shop that’s next to card factory and the Homeless Guy sits in doorway-lovely chap
Up further the old bank next to Superdrug that recently was a chocolate
shop.
Brighton is becoming a dump now-Graffiti on door ways
Homeless & Addicts strolling the Streets
Nothing really brings people to the City anymore-parking charges are high.
Hardly no space to park
All these routes to stop Cars coming to the Seafront-that’s why people double park on the Yellow lines get parking fine of £70 reduced to £35 if paided sooner-cheaper than the Days charge in a Car Park
Tourist Tax if that comes in.
Really obvious reason for their being empty shops on the high street. It’s called extortionate rent
You don’t need a car to have a good time in Brighton.
If there is grafitti in door ways then the land lord needs to clean it up.
Tourist Tax if one ever came in would only apply to people who stay over night and be a couple of quid at most.
I wonder how many people who complain about the high street being dead buy everything online
This is true… online buying is killing the shopping precincts. Bring back Woolworths!
Why not have a new better sainsbury’s local express then and close the other down just a couple of doors away then down the road
Its seriously need a better place as well you know
Its seriously need a better place as well you know make it look better too