The Canterbury City Council has approved plans that will see The Front, a former nightclub, into a restaurant. The Front, which is located in Central Parade, was previously known as the Talk of the Town nightclub, and the bosses at the nightclub had been weighing the decision to turn it into a restaurant for a few months. The plans to convert the nightclub into a restaurant were submitted last year and the city council has finally approved the plans paving the way for the work to begin.
According to the owner of the building, Michael Khoury, who is also a member of the Herne Bay Chamber of Commerce, they are now hoping for the work to start quite soon. He stated that they are keen to ensure the place becomes a success story and they’ll be looking for a very competent person to run it. The Front opened back in 2015 with the aim of attracting clients over the age of 25. The owners had intended that the place would be able to bring in big bands, musicians and comedians. However, the last event at the location was in June last year.
Should he find a suitable leaseholder, Khoury is hopeful that the location will make for a good Nepalese, Greek or Italian restaurant. He believes that the restaurant will be something different and will add some spiciness to the town. Although he anticipates a number of issues along the way, he believes that they’ll be able to get past these. He added that they saw no need in going back in the nightclub direction since people weren’t interested in such spots anymore.
The development, which will include changing the windows on the first floor, has also received the support of Central Parade’s Dr Nick Black who said that the changes of use and modifications are quite welcome. He believes that a restaurant with a view of the sea would help to reinvigorate the area and would a very good addition. The application was granted by Guy Wilson, a planning officer with the Canterbury City Council who stated that the changes were acceptable and that the development would help to preserve the looks and character of the conservation area. He also added that its presence wouldn’t negatively affect the living conditions of those staying nearby.