Canalside chippy plan for village
FIRM WANTS IT TO BE ‘AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY’
PLANS have been submitted for a canalside fish and chip bar in a Derbyshire village.
P&M Brown Catering Ltd has submitted its plans for grassland off a car park in Monument Lane, Ironville, metres from the Cromford Canal.
If approved by Amber Valley Borough Council, a mobile catering outlet would be set up next to the car park used by The Crossings Members Club, next to a group of trees.
The firm says it wants to be “at the heart of the village” and to support its infrastructure and economy.
It says villagers have very few resources and the owners would have liked to have set up a hot food shop but there are no shop fronts available. The company says the village had previously been a “blot and widely regarded as a place that noone wanted to live” but times have changed and that this hot food outlet was to further this change.
It says in a statement submitted with its application: “Crime and unemployment rates were considerably above the national average and very little economic and development took place.
“Over the last 20 years we have seen investment from the local authority and local community both in the formation of community interest groups and resources. This has encouraged a new sense of pride in the village.
“Many more people are choosing to move into the area, and there is a higher percentage of privately owned housing. People move here for both the incredible wildlife and green spaces but also for the active community groups, organisations and resources which are thriving.
“We are very proud to live in such wonderful surroundings and play an active part in village life. The village traditionally always had a ‘chippy’ which, up until the ‘King Billy Centre’ was demolished 30 years ago, was at the heart of the community.
“We would like to be at the heart of the village and support the infrastructure and economy. There are very few resources in the village and residents have to travel some distance to get hot food.
“It was after consultation with fellow residents, friends and neighbours that we chose to follow the path of having a fish and chip shop.”
The application says it will not have an illuminated sign advertising the business to avoid the impact this could have on the area’s character.
It says it expects most customers to walk to the unit, not expecting a large increase in car journeys. It would be a collection-only facility, with customers being asked to leave the site after making their purchase, instead of staying to eat.
The application says the company has “asked local people to alert us to any increase in litter and to identify ‘hot spots’”.
“We will continue our litter picks and ensure we don’t have a detrimental effect on the local wildlife or appearance of the village. This is a huge priority for both of us. We are committed to respecting, protecting the integrity of the land, enhancing and developing the local area.”
The fishbar unit would be a “discrete” slate grey and would rest on wooden blocks so that there would be little trace of the unit if removed.
The council will make a decision in the next few months.