Game-changing’ bar group submits plans for two city centre venues

A fast-growing hospitality operator has submitted detailed plans to create two new bars within Grade II listed buildings in Nottingham city centre.Arc Inspirations runs a raft of venues across the North of England under the brands Box, Manahatta and Banyan Bar & Kitchen.Earlier this year, we reported that the Leeds-based company had submitted a license application to open one of its high-end Manhatta cocktail bars in the former French Connection unit at 6 Victoria Street and made a similar request to open one of its Banyan bars at 2-3 Thurland Street.Arc describes its Manhatta venues as “glamorous cocktail bar[s] that bring the exciting unmistakable beat of New York to the UK.”TheBusinessDesk.com can now reveal that the firm has submitted extensive proposals to transform the two sites but intends to create a Box sports bar on Thurland Street instead of the previously advertised Banyan.The sports bar would occupy the basement, ground and first floors of the building, which was created in 1879 and was once home to the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank.The bank was converted into a pair of retail units – the space to which Arc’s application relates – in 2004.Arc is also proposing to refurbish the basement, ground and first floors of the Victoria Street site and intends to create a new mezzanine between the ground and first floor.Designs for both venues have been created by MDA Architects.Documents submitted by Firstplan on behalf of Arc reveal that the company has already agreed to take the lease on the premises at Thurland Street “subject to securing the requisite listed building consent” and that it hopes to open the sports bar this winter.The firm says the planned alterations to both buildings will be “entirely respectful.”Arc was formed in 1999 by Martin Wolstencroft and Chris Ure. It initially catered for the student population in the Headingley area of Leeds but has since expanded significantly.The company secured a £19m investment from BGF – the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor – back in April.