Council Waves Through Former Nightclub Conversion Plans

A former Isle of Wight nightclub will become a retail unit in an effort to make it more ‘more marketable’ to tenants, amid a lack of demand for a night-time venue.

Otium Properties’ plans for a change of use of the vacant Fever and Boutique venue at the Coppins Bridge Retail and Leisure Park have been accepted by planners.

Fever and Boutique closed in October last year.

The proposal is for a new commercial, business and service use (use Class E) which includes the sale of food, according to a statement from Phil Salmon Planning.

It says:

“The unit in question consists of 643.1 square metres of vacant ground floor space with pedestrian access from Coppins Bridge and South Street.

“There is no longer any demand for the unit as a nightclub and this application seeks to authorise a more flexible use enabling it to become more marketable and attractive to tenants.

“This proposal will enhance the shopping and leisure offer of the retail and leisure park itself, and in turn the town centre as a whole will become a more attractive shopping and leisure destination for retailers and leisure operators to locate.”

Before housing Fever and Boutique, the unit was occupied by Lloyds, a Wetherspoons and before that, a Chicago Rock.

Planners’ decision report on application 25/00950/FUL said:

“This proposal would utilise and re-use a vacant unit, therefore attracting greater footfall to the site to the benefit of the other businesses in the area and the viability and vitality of these.

“It is likely to involve combined trips for those already visiting the cinema, food outlets or gym.”