Green light for 'largest independent bookshop'

Plans to convert a historic building into "the country's largest independent bookshop" have been approved despite council officers recommending they be refused on heritage grounds.

Topping & Company has been given permission to open a 6,000 sq ft (557 sq m) store in the Grade II-listed building on the corner of Museum Street and Blake Street in York.

Concerns were previously raised that the installation of a mezzanine floor could damage the fabric of the building and erode evidence of the its original layout.

The plans were backed by York's Civic and Conservation trusts while several councillors voiced their support in bringing the building back into use.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's meeting, Conservative councillor Michael Nicholls said blocking the plans would be "a new level of bonkers" for the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Labour's councillor Rachel Melly, whose Guildhall ward includes the building, told councillors the company, which runs four other shops in the UK, had a track record of creating beautifully-designed bookshops in historic settings.

She said: "Refusing this will only preserve the building as an empty derelict brick relic."

Liberal Democrat committee member councillor Christian Vassie said the conversion would provide a way for the building to continue to be used.

He added: "If we can't afford to run it then it falls into disrepair, then we berate ourselves and look for reasons why no one is giving us money to keep this building alive while it's crumbling in front of us."

Constructed in 1860, the building originally housed the headquarters of York's Poor Law Union and later served as a tourist information centre before it was vacated by Visit York four years ago.

Company founder Robert Topping told councillors his son Hugh planned to move to York to run the store, which he said would be "the largest independent bookshop opened in the country in living memory".

Topping & Company, which has branches in Bath, Edinburgh, Ely and St Andrews, said the new store would create 30 jobs and offer 75,000 titles on its shelves.

The company hopes to open it in autumn.