Old theatre converted to cafe will be “most Instagrammable café in the North”

And the developer behind the plans says it will be the “most Instagrammable café in the North.”

The Old Building on Great Horton Road was, until recently, used by Bradford College.

Work is currently underway to convert much of the Grade II listed property into apartments.

This week an application to turn the building’s theatre hall into a café was approved by Bradford Council, with Conservation Officers saying this use would allow the space to be seen by many more people.

Last Summer the developers, Citywide Developments, said the ground floor theatre – arguably the most impressive space in a grand building, would be retained rather than being converted into flats like much of the building.

Recently the developers submitted plans to turn this theatre space into a café that would be open to the public.

The application said the developers planned to retain all the heritage features in the theatre.

It added: “The concept is to form a unique café use within a theatre hall setting so that it can become the most Instagrammable café in the North.

“Today most hospitality is geared towards providing a unique interior so selfies can be taken to show off to friends and family.”

It acknowledges that there are a glut of eateries on Great Horton Road, but adds: “We are seeking to break the mould by introducing a unique dining experience with a stylishly decorated interior and state of the art app tablet for ease of ordering.”

The application has now been approved by Bradford Council. The Council’s Conservation Officer Jon Ackroyd said: “The Old Building is one of the landmark heritage buildings of Bradford City Centre. It stands on rising ground in Little Horton, which in the 1880s when it was built, would have been an affluent and desirable suburb.

“The building was constructed as a Technical College and as well as the obvious architectural significance, has high social and historical significance to the development of Bradford. By virtue of its architectural quality, and the landmark tower which is visible widely, it is regarded as one of the principal indicators of the status, ambition and success of Bradford in the late 19th century.

“The use of this space as a café seems sympathetic and will offer the benefit of the public being able to appreciate its splendour.

“The proposed use would appear a good solution for a space which deserves to be enjoyed.”