Plans to create one of the country’s largest independent bookshops in York have been given planning permission.
Topping and Company Bookseller’s bid to convert the vacant Museum Street building was approved by York Council’s Planning Committee B despite concerns from planning officers that the installation of a mezzanine floor would damage the fabric of the building.
The Grade II-listed building, on the corner of Museum Street and Blake Street, was constructed in 1860 and originally housed the headquarters of York’s Poor Law Union. It later served as a tourist information centre but it has stood empty since Visit York moved out four years ago.
The conversion is set to see works creating space for around 75,000 books. Topping and Company, which also has stores in Bath, Edinburgh, Ely and St Andrews, hopes to open the store in autumn 2025.
Council officers had recommended refusal of the application, saying that proposals for a mezzanine floor would erode evidence of the building’s original layout. They added the public benefits of allowing the conversion to go ahead would not outweigh the harm done to the historic building.
But the plans were backed by York’s Civic and Conservation trusts and several public comments were also lodged in support.
Labour’s Coun Rachel Melly, whose Guildhall ward includes the building, told councillors the company had a track record of creating beautifully-designed bookshops in historic settings. She added after the meeting that she had called in the plans so councillors could weigh up whether the concerns about the building outweighed the benefits.
