Whitby café to be partially converted into holiday let

The Hopes and Beans café, in Whitby, will be partially converted into a holiday let following approval of plans by Scarborough Council. Plans for the partial conversion of the Hopes and Beans café at 2 St Ann’s Staith, Whitby, were approved by the council on January 9.

The first floor of the building, located next to the Whitby Swing Bridge, will become a holiday let comprising a lounge, a bedroom, and a bathroom. It will be operated by and accessed through the ground floor café business. According to the submitted plans the remainder of the first floor “will still be used as floor space in association with the existing café”.

However, the front façade of the building will not be altered as it is “important in regards to the appearance of the building and protecting the character of the conservation area”. In March 2022, the council approved the conversion of the building’s second floor from residential accommodation to holiday apartments.

Whitby Town Council objected to the plans “due to highways and access” concerns, while the Highway Authority stated that “the proposals are not anticipated to have any significant impact on the highway or the parking capacity in the surrounding area”.

No public comments were received during the consultation stage and Scarborough Council’s environmental housing officer had no objections on the grounds that its use is limited to holiday lettings. A report by Scarborough Council states that “tourism is fundamental to the local economy” and that there is “a need to develop a more diverse year-round tourism product”.