Derbyshire Times news bulletin 12th September

Derbyshire Times

Derbyshire Times news bulletin with editor Phil Bramley

Transcript

00:00Here's today's Derbyshire Times video bulletin.

00:03A prominent building in Chesterfield town centre,

00:05which has planning permission for nine apartments,

00:08has gone on the market for 350,000 pounds.

00:11The old church on Holywell Cross

00:13has most recently been run as Big Ball's pool and sports bar.

00:16Built in the 19th century,

00:18the building was originally a primitive Methodist chapel

00:20and closed in 1980.

00:23It later housed a YMCA, a cafe, and a recording studio

00:26before becoming a number of nightclubs,

00:28including Livingstones and Syn.

00:31Listed for sale on the MJB commercial property website,

00:34it is described as an established sports bar venue

00:37in an extremely prominent position

00:38in Chesterfield town centre.

00:40The fully fitted bar is a converted church

00:42with many interesting and attractive features.

00:45The property now also benefits from planning permission

00:48for conversion to form nine residential apartments.

00:51Plans have been drawn up for the apartments

00:53on the ground and first floor of the building,

00:55which also has a basement and a second floor.

00:59A new restaurant in Chesterfield

01:01has got off to a flying start

01:02after opening in the former carp department store

01:04on Elder Way.

01:06We caught up with Bottle and Time owners,

01:07Hannah and Gavin Granger, on their move across the road

01:10and the support they've had from the local community so far.

01:13I'm Hannah, this is Gavin, Granger.

01:16We've just opened our new venue, Bottle and Time.

01:19We had our venue across the road at 15 Nicewood Gate

01:24and we've just expanded to a new bigger premises

01:26on Elder Way.

01:28We got to the point in our old premises

01:30where we were just too small to be able to grow

01:33and to take in the extra customer base

01:35that we wanted to be able to serve.

01:37So we've taken the opportunity to expand,

01:39moved into one of the bigger units on Elder Way

01:43and it's meant that we've been able to offer

01:45more seats to customers, but also add to the business.

01:48So we've got an extra bar area.

01:51Private hire area.

01:52Private hire area, which has meant that we can offer

01:55a lot more that we wanted to be able to do

01:57in our old premises, but we just didn't have the space

02:00to be able to offer it.

02:02So we're really excited to see what else we can do here.

02:05So you've taken on more staff now?

02:07Yes, we've expanded I'd say by...

02:10About 30%?

02:1130% so far, but we're already recruiting at the moment

02:15for an events coordinator and some extra chefs

02:19just because we've been so much busier than we...

02:24We thought we'd be busy, but it has been unexpected.

02:27Really hit the ground running.

02:28Yeah.

02:30So we're already expanding our workforce,

02:32which is really exciting.

02:34The team have been working very hard

02:36to get the business ready and then to be working...

02:39And we are working with the customers.

02:41With the bigger numbers in a bigger venue.

02:44So everybody's needed a well-deserved rest at the minute,

02:47but we are taking more staff on and we're excited to do that.

02:51Yeah, we served things that we used to serve before

02:53in terms of like breakfast and brunch offering.

02:55We still get the small plates offering,

02:57but we're now like, we do double the numbers now.

03:00So you don't have to like be...

03:02Not be able to get in on a Saturday night anymore.

03:05The private hire areas have been a real plus for us

03:09because we've now got event space.

03:11So we can have like a 30th birthday with us, a wedding.

03:15We've got a few wedding reception inquiries through,

03:19baby showers, et cetera.

03:20And you've all got their own little private space,

03:22their own bar, a little courtyard on the side.

03:24So I feel that's a massive plus.

03:27Also the weekend, it's really good to have a bar area.

03:30So see quite a lot of people

03:32that were used to coming for drinks more,

03:33but then couldn't really get a seat at the bar

03:36and now started coming in here.

03:37So we get a lot more drinkers in here,

03:38like just having a nice like date night,

03:40cocktail or glass of wine.

03:42So yeah, I feel like we've got three different

03:45revenue streams now, which is quite great for us.

03:49We just want to mention how grateful we are

03:51for the support that we've had so far since opening.

03:53So we've had lots of our regular customers in,

03:56so lots of like old friendly faces,

03:58but also lots of new people trying us.

04:01It's been so lovely to meet everybody.

04:03Obviously I haven't been here as much.

04:04No, I've just been living and breathing it.

04:07But yeah, everybody's been so supportive

04:10and the feedback we've had so far has been brilliant.

04:13And as a town, it just feels,

04:15yeah, like just everybody's been behind us,

04:17which has been-

04:18A lot of comments saying it's like having a city venue

04:20in a town, which is, I think,

04:22Chesterfield's been crying out for something

04:24new and exciting.

04:25So hopefully this will be the start of maybe

04:28more development in this area.

04:29Really hope so.

04:30More people we speak to,

04:32but like people just want there to be

04:34more to go to in the town centre

04:37and to see that town centre come back to life really.

04:39So hopefully more people will come in

04:43and really build this up here.

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