Cedar Tavern: Blackpool Council seeks clarification on ground floor progress

it comes after ‘To Let’ signs appeared on the premises given an improvement grant by the council just over two years ago.

A Blackpool Council spokesman said: “The grant was awarded to improve the external fascia of the building as part of general improvement works to the environment on Cedar Square.

"That work has been carried out to the satisfaction of the grant regime. We are seeking clarification on what progress is being made to bring the ground floor back into use.”

The building in Cedar Square has long been closed as a bar but its refurbishment was awarded a grant from a Blackpool Council-funded scheme to improve town centre streets in November 2020..

A £125,000 improvement scheme for the building under the council’s £2.3m Property Improvement Fund (PIF) included the installation of new windows, extensive external facade repairs and restoration of the roof.

The upper floor on the premises now includes a non-functioning and apparently successful two-bedroom apartment now listed on the accommodation website Airbnb and it has been attracting five-star reviews.

But the ground floor former bar now features 'To Let’ signs, with inquiries directed to estate agents Duxbury Commercial.

A planning application for work at the Cedar Tavern, which was approved in January 2019, included a roof extension to form a rooftop seating area giving customers views over the town centre.

The building, which dates back to the 1930s and was originally used as an insurance centre, is locally listed and sits within the town centre conservation area.

The Airbnb upstairs is listed as the Charleston Apartments, promoted as a ”newly created second floor apartment (which) has been designed to the highest of standards, with stylish and modern decor” and has been attracting five-star reviews.

Signs announcing the future opening of a bar also with the Charleston name appeared on the ground floor sometime ago but the ‘To Let’ signs have now been added.

The owner of the building was contacted for comment.