Chain eyes licence for former Matlock Wetherspoons

Loungers UK – a growing operator in the UK hospitality sector – which operated 146 sites in England and Wales as at April 2019 is seeking permission for the new licence from Derbyshire Dales District Council.

The move ends months of speculation over interested parties for the former Crown Wetherspoons pub in Crown Square which failed to reopen after restrictions were relaxed in mid-May.

The Crown was hit hard by flooding when the Derwent burst its banks in November 2019 – devastating many town centre businesses.

Reinstatement works had been ongoing – but the pub chain finally surrendered a 40-year lease it took out in 1998.

The application seeks to permit the sale of alcohol daily between 10am and Midnight and late night refreshment daily between 11pm and 12.30am.

Loungers runs two distinct types of establishment: a Lounge – which is a neighbourhood café/bar combining elements of a restaurant, British pub and coffee shop culture.

It also runs ‘Cosy Clubs’ which are more formal bars/restaurants offering reservations and table service but share many similarities with the Lounges in terms of their broad, all-day offering and their focus on hospitality and culture. Cosy Clubs are typically located in city centres and large market towns. Interiors tend to be larger and more theatrical than a Lounge.