A “unique” shopping experience specialising in Russian and Eastern European teas, cakes and gifts could be setting up in one of Skipton’s most established shops.

Bacup-based The Russian Tea Rooms Ltd claims Skipton is ideal for its expanding business which aims to serve exotic tea, pastries and gifts to visitors.

And it is hoping to open up in the former David Goldie’s outdoor clothing shop at the top of the High Street which closed last month after 35 years.

The Russian Tea Rooms, set up in 2008 by Olga Penney, has taken out a ten-year lease on the premises which it claims is ideal for its purposes. It has now applied to Craven District Council for change of use of the building from purely retail to mixed retail and café use.

The plan, which has received no objections from Skipton Town Council, would see space for tea tasting and the selling of snacks at the back of the shop, with the selling of loose tea and gifts at the front.

In its design statement to the council, the company says tea tasting and snacks would be available as a complement to the high-class gift shop and purveyors of exotic teas in loose form.

A varied assortment of gifts would include original Russian handicraft, crockery and china, silks and Russian confectionary as well as rare vodkas and spirits.