Fat Hippo eyes ornate city centre location for new Leeds restaurant in historic listed building

Fat Hippo Group has applied to convert part of a grade II-listed building at 22-23 Boar Lane into a restaurant.

The company is seeking listed building consent for alterations to the vacant ground floor and basement of the site near Leeds Station.

Leeds City Council will consider a planning application for the building, which is part of the City Centre Conservation Area.

A design report said: “Bringing into use a currently redundant site can only be seen as a positive.

“The site is within a sustainable location and appears to be a natural fit for the proposed use.”

Planned changes to the building include a bar and serving area, new lighting and the installation of extractor ducting.

The report by John Taylor Architects said the internal works would not harm any special architectural or historical features.

It said: “The decorative framed plaster ceiling with decorative cross beams will be fully retained and exposed.

“Internally, the premises will be fitted out to provide a high quality, modern, fit-for-purpose restaurant.”

The building would be in a prominent location for Fat Hippo, which already has a branch in Headingley and would operate as a tenant of the site, the report said.

It said: “The site is adequately served by a range of public transport and is ideally situated for the intended use.

“The immediate vicinity is characterised by a mix of retail, leisure and commercial land uses.”