A new wine bar and restaurant is planned for a Perth High Street unit which has lain vacant since 2020.
The Dewberry Cafe closed four years ago, partly as a result of the impact on trade during the Covid pandemic.
But licensing chiefs have now approved a provisional licence for the premises at 32-34 High Street.
Glasgow-based LAL (Public House) Ltd is behind the proposal.
It wants to serve drinks from the unit and an outdoor pavement cafe area until 10pm.
Solicitor Chloe Crawford addressed Perth and Kinross Licensing Board on behalf of LAL.
She said: “It used to be Dewberry Wine Bar and Café before the licence was surrendered in 2020.
“My clients have taken over the unit and are keen to reinstate it as a wine bar and now restaurant.
“After this restaurant became – in part – a casualty from the Covid pandemic, it would be great to see it in use again.”
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She said the company has licensed premises across Scotland and the Perth property is the latest addition to their portfolio.
“My client’s plan is to retain this premises licence as a landlord and lease the premises out,” she added.
“Alternatively he may sell the premises on.”
Councillors unanimously agreed to approve the provisional premises licence application subject to conditions.
The licence will not be issued until roads consent is in place for the pavement café.
Covid spelled end for former cafe
The old Dewberry Cafe and Wine Bar unit on the High Street went on the market for £175,000 in June.
It closed in October 2020.
At the time, its owner Vinod Mathew said: “A combination of the impact of Covid-19 on a new business that is still growing and expanding and issues with the landlord have made it impossible for us to continue trading.”
Dewberry opened in December 2019.
But, like all hospitality businesses, it had to stop trading due to lockdown in the middle of March 2020.
The premises were previously occupied by Reid’s Cafe.
Conversation