A bar wants to bring its ground floor back to life with a huge transformation. The council has granted Spensley’s Emporium, on Albert Road, permission for its plans to create a whole new area.

As part of the proposals, there will be a new location for the main bar, a mezzanine and staircase, a DJ booth, a fully accessible toilet, and a refurbishment of the men’s toilets. It will also be fully redecorated and will open through the day.

The ground floor of the building has been closed for several years and is being revamped to coincide with other regeneration work taking place in Middlesbrough’s historic quarter. The £640,000 High Street Heritage Action Zone project, funded by Middlesbrough Council and Historic England, is making major improvements to transform key historic buildings so they can be reused for housing and commercial businesses.

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The cash has also been used to repair and clean the Henry Bolckow statue in Exchange Square. The train station will be receiving some much-needed attention after it has fallen into disrepair through a £34m scheme, funded by the Government, Tees Valley Combined Authority and Network Rail.

Owner Stephen Spensley said: “I am refurbishing Spensley’s and we have just got the approval through. It is time to develop the site. There is big investment going into the train station and into the old town of Middlesbrough so I am trying to tie it in with that scheme.

“They have revamped the square opposite so that area will be the next up-and-coming area I think.”

This week, Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston shared photos of the upgraded Exchange Square now the landscaping works are complete.

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Spensley’s was initially built for Barclays Northern founders Jonathan Backhouse and Company in 1872/73. More than 100 years later in 1985/86 it was transformed into a cocktail bar with offices above but now is a bar and nightclub.

The council recently refused to grant Spenley’s permission for an outdoor terrace where 48 party-goers could drink and smoke from 11pm until 3am. The bar appealed to the planning inspectorate but it sided with the local authority due to noise concerns.

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