More flats planned for South Shields’ landmark Riddicks building as first floor bar plans scrapped

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received a new application for the former Riddicks building on the corner of Fowler Street and Keppel Street.

The towering site has had several uses over the years, including as a grocer, chain store and snooker hall, as well as serving as the popular Riddicks shoe shop for many years.

However, the shoe shop sold its last pair in 2014, while Racks snooker hall upstairs also shut down, and permission was later granted for the building to be used as office space in 2019.

In recent years, the town centre building has been refurbished as part of council-led regeneration efforts in South Shields.

At a meeting of South Tyneside Council’s cabinet of senior councillors in October, 2023, town hall bosses agreed to progress the disposal of the building’s freehold, subject to planning permission being granted for a new use.

Plans from Premier Leisure Ltd, later approved by the council’s planning department in April, 2024, aimed to transform the majority of the building into a mixed public bar and restaurant, along with five flats on the second floor.

Original plans for the building’s first floor included a large gaming area with ‘feature booth’ seating, pool tables, ‘virtual darts’ and pinball machines.

Although the business Riddicks Sports Bar is now in operation at the site, the first floor is currently vacant, according to an ‘existing first floor plan’ submitted to council planning officers.

New plans from Premier Leisure are now proposing changing the building’s first floor into four self-contained residential flats.

A design, access and heritage statement submitted with the plans states the proposals aim to “omit the previously approved public bar and restaurant at first floor level and replace this with 4No. self-contained residential flats.”

Those behind the scheme said the “change of use responds to evolving town centre needs and demand for high-quality urban residential accommodation”.

The design, access and heritage statement adds: “The flats replicate the arrangement and layout of the already-approved second floor flats.

“All proposed accommodation is accessible via the approved communal entrance and stair core.

“There are no changes proposed to the scale or massing of the building [and] the proposal is entirely internal and retains the external appearance and structure as previously approved.

“As the scheme involves no external works relating to the proposed first floor flats, the external appearance of the building remains unchanged [and] the architectural integrity of the locally listed Edwardian building and its later extension is preserved.”

Developers maintained that “replacing the public bar/restaurant use with residential use is sympathetic to the character and evolution of the building”.

It was argued that the plan for the landmark Riddicks building would “support its long-term viability and active use” and that internal works to create new flats would be “handled with care to respect original proportions and avoid harm to any surviving historic features”.

The design, access and heritage statement adds: “This proposal represents a sustainable and context-sensitive adaptation of a historically significant town centre building.

“It retains the approved access and structure, ensures no harm to heritage value, and contributes to the vitality of South Shields by providing well-designed town centre homes.

“The change from a public bar/restaurant to residential use reflects market demands and town centre living aspirations.

“The proposal aligns with national and local policy objectives on housing delivery, heritage conservation, and town centre regeneration.”

A decision on the planning application is expected following a council consultation exercise.

Comments can be made on the plans, via South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website, until July 31, 2025.

For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit the council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250401