Plans by a successful bar operator to open a new venue in a former bank have moved a step closer.

Last month the Backstage Bars company applied to Wyre Council for a premises licence for the town’s ex-NatWest building, which closed as a bank in April.

Plans have been lodged to open another Blackstage bar in Cleveleys, this time in the former NatWest Bank | National World

placeholder image — Plans have been lodged to open another Blackstage bar in Cleveleys, this time in the former NatWest Bank | National World

Ian Fletcher, the main behind Backstage Bars, said that if the application was successful, the new bar would be additional to the company’s existing Backstage Bar in Victoria Road West, which opened two year ago in the former CJ Cycles shop and has proved really successful.

Backstage Bar in Victoria Road West offers a wide range of craft ales, many of them from Continental Europe and not widely available elsewhere on the Fylde coast, with live music at weekends.

Ian is also well known for running the Waterloo Music Bar in Blackpool, which has established itself as a major grass roots music venue.

Ian Fletcher, of Backstage Bars | National World

Now, a planning application has been lodged with Wyre Council for a change of use from a bank with offices (Class E) and staff facilities to a public house with offices and staff facilities (Class Sui Generis).

The application has been submitted by Paul Hardwick, a director of Backstage Ltd.

The building, on the corner of Victoria Road West and Rossall Road, offers a total area of 3,846 sq ft arranged over two floors and comes with two parking spaces.

Ian said recently: "The Backstage Bar is doing really well – people love live music.”

No details of any specific features of the new premises have been released yet but he added: "The former bank is a great building in a great location and if all goes well, we hope to be open in time for Christmas.”

The building offers a total area of 3,846 sq ft arranged over two floors and comes with two parking spaces.

Victoria Square has already seen another former bank turned into a bar.

Last month the old RSBC bank building, on the opposite side of the square to the NatWest, was transformed into the Greedy Banker bar following successful planning and premises licence applications.