The applicant has said its plan will boost the town’s economy
There could be a new future for one of Nottinghamshire’s Wilko stores(Image: Mike Kemp/Getty Images)
A plan to transform a Nottinghamshire town’s nightclub and Wilko store into a “vibrant shopping district” has been revealed.
New plans have outlined the likely future of the large building that housed the former Legacy club and branch of the bust Nottinghamshire-based retailer on Clumber Street, Mansfield.
The now-empty Wilko shop closed in 2023 after the high street stalwart collapsed into administration, while the nightclub was unable to reopen after Covid and a damaging break-in.
A planning application has been submitted to Mansfield District Council that outlines the town centre structure’s owner wants to split it into more than 20 different units, subdividing the property’s sizeable ground floor to “attract visitors and help reestablish this area as a vibrant shopping district in its own right”.
Planners, acting on behalf of building owner East India Properties Ltd, added: “The scheme presents opportunities for workshops and café or food and beverage units, addressing a current local deficiency.
“These uses will complement the retail offer and contribute to creatinga lively, multifunctional environment that encourageslonger visits and greater footfall.”
The prominent building was previously occupied by the Legacy club and a branch of now-bust retailer Wilko(Image: Google)
The applicant’s planning agent claimed the scheme would accelerate the socio-economic growth of the area and provide a variety of unit sizes to suit a range of retailers.
Planning documents explained the existing windows on Clumber Street would be converted into shopfront entrances to accommodate the new smaller retail units.
The scheme’s designs also showed the side of the building facing its first floor car park would be adapted to accommodate larger, more functional units that provided easy access for potential occupiers like hardware retailers or small-scale food and drink operators.
Minimal changes would be made to the outside of the building, the plans explained, with any alterations carefully designed to align with the town’s existing architectural character.
The application site and any future shops would benefit from a prominent position in Mansfield and its “excellent visibility and accessibility”, the project’s designers said.
Planners, asking the council for permission for the changes, added: “The proposal aims to create a dynamic new retail zone along Clumber Street, complementing the established Four Seasons Shopping Centre and contributing to the regeneration and economic vitality of Mansfield town centre.”
The planning application will be considered by Mansfield District Council and decided by its planning department or committee at a later date.
The site has been vacant since the demise of Wilko and the Legacy nightclub.
The budget homeware chain fell into administration in August 2023, with its network of hundreds of stores shutting or being taken over by former rivals.
It struggled in the decade before its collapse, partly due to growing competition from the likes of Poundland and B&M.
Legacy, which had previously been known as Liquid and Rewind, opened in 2019 after a £1.2 million refurbishment.
However, it was closed during the Covid pandemic and was severely damaged by a burglar during this time, meaning that it was not financially viable and could not reopen.