Eatery plans for empty Henblas Street shops given the go ahead

Two long-term empty shops in Wrexham town centre are set to be converted into eateries.

In October Wrexham.com reported that plans to change the use of unit eleven and unit three on Henblas Street from retail to Class A3 (food and drink) had been submitted.

Both properties – which were previously home to Bodycare and Internationale – have been empty for several years.

However the shops are set to be given a fresh lease of life after plans to convert them both into eateries were given the go ahead.

Seen as a ‘landmark development’ back in the late 90s, Henblas Street has seen a number of high street retailers vacate the site due either to relocation or companies falling into administration.

The final blow was in summer 2017 when Bhs collapsed into adminsitration.

There has been activity at the row of shops in the past 12 months, with Mandale Group taking over the site last year.

Some of the empty shops on Henblas Street have started to fill up in recent months, with a bridal and prom dress store moving into the former Evans and a refurbs shop opening in the old Post Office.

Earlier this year Techniquest Glyndwr secured planning permission to convert the former TJ Hughes into a “exciting and engaging space for all explorers”.

The former BHS is set to become home to Sports Direct early next year – with new window vinyls being place on the building last week and work currently underway revamping the interior.

It is hoped the new eateries will help improve the “diversity of the evening economy through the provision of entertainment and food and drink establishments”.

Picture: Henblas Street last autumn