The future of an Isle of Wight High Street shoe shop has been unveiled, more than a year after it closed.
Shoe Zone in Ryde shut in March 2022 and has remained vacant ever since and permission had already been granted to turn the upper floors of the building, which were used for storage, into 2 flats.
Now, plans for the ground floor and shop have been revealed, with hopes to keep a smaller shop there.
The remaining space could be used as a 2-bedroom flat, complete with a shower room and an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area. To provide light, windows and skylights could be added.
The proposals have been submitted to the Isle of Wight Council by Mr Hicks of Havant.
Planning agents, BBD Architects, on behalf of Mr Hicks, say the ground floor unit is vacant, under-utilised and unappealing to new retail tenants, due to its size — ‘which is large and therefore unaffordable.’
The proposal, the agent says, will create a smaller, more affordable retail space, better adapted to today’s market. A small staff room and toilet are proposed in the plans for the unit.
The change would contribute to Ryde’s growth, while also providing ‘much needed residential accommodation’. All the existing single-glazed windows in the building could also be replaced.
View the plans, 23/00997/FUL, on the Isle of Wight council’s planning register. Comments can be submitted until 14th July.
Meanwhile, closing down signs have been put in the windows of Shoe Zone branches in Shanklin and Newport.
Mr Hicks of Havant, Instead of all the bullsh_t about contributing to the growth and development of Ryde, be honest and state you want to make a nice big profit as a slum landlord?
Is Ryde now a slum perchance
Yea fancy wanting a return on his hard work and investment .Disgusting behaviour. Do you work for free Bri ? ,or just sit on your arse and sponge of the tax payers ?
Yes make it smaller so we can have another barber shop… instead of a retail outlet.., this is obviously being done for GREED, not NEED.. so where is the parking ?? there must be another retail outlet interested in a shop that size, instead of downsizing, there are already a few empty downsized shops on Ryde High Street.. which no one wants…
soon no retailt shops in Ryde then… just have a look up Ryde High St at all the vacant shops.. that have done this.. too small for retail so more barbers, and more…. barbers.. nail salons.. … gift shops for the tourists that do not arrive..
Now if council would pull the plug on the ferries and build a tunnel, there would be lots of large shops wanted… the ferries are stopping Island progress and making the Island regress… soon nothing but corner shops, some pubs, barbers nail salons and second hand shops..
Agree 100%
There will never be a tunnel. There will never be a bridge. There will never be sufficient reason to spend billions on a bridge or tunnel to a holiday island with a very small population. Stop dreaming.
It’s not the size of the shop its the greedy shop owners wanting astonishing rents