PART-RETROSPECTIVE plans for an escape room in Tarbert have been approved by council officers after support from the public.
An applicant named as Trapped Tarbert submitted the application for the Anchorage Restaurant on Harbour Street, seeking permission to make internal alterations at the premises.
Argyll and Bute Council received eight expressions of support from the public during the planning process, and the bid has now been given the go-ahead.
A council officer said in a handling report: “The application site is situated within an area characterised by mixed use development, with a row of retail units dominating the ground floor streetscape and residential properties occupying the upper floors surrounding the site.
“The subject of the planning application is a ground floor unit located within a traditionally designed and proportioned building which lies within Tarbert Conservation Area.
“The upper floor of the building, which does not fall within the scope of the current application, would be for short-term letting use.
“The application site being located in Tarbert is benefited by Local Development Plan 2 policy 25, where priority will be given to those developments which make use of previously developed sites, locations which are accessible by a variety of means of transport, where there is existing infrastructure capacity, and/or where a proposal will fill a recognised gap in the identified tourism network.
“It is considered that the application for change of use to escape room use is in line with the broad aims of these tourism-related policies.”
The report added: “The ground floor unit was previously used as a restaurant and the current proposal seeks change of use to escape room use.
“In this regard, it is considered that the proposed use is in line with the broad aims of these local centre related policies in that the proposal by introducing a new recreational/leisure use to the local centre is able to enhance and improve the vitality and viability of the local centre.”
A summary of the supporting comments received from the public said: “The proposal by creating an attraction with indoor activity available would attract tourists visiting Tarbert. The escape room would also be attractive to locals including families and teenagers.
“The proposal would bring economic benefits to the area. There would be new jobs created and increasing footfall in the village would support local economy.
“The proposal would bring an empty property back into use. The proposed alterations are done in a sympathetic manner, and would improve the condition of the building.”
