THE former Ponden Home store in Skipton could become the new home of an independent record shop and bar.

Skipton Sound Bar, currently based in Swadford Street, has revealed plans to move into the vacant interiors store which is located in Keighley Road and has been sitting empty since the company collapsed into administration last year.

The building forms part of the Westgate Shopping Centre and has previously been a gift and food store, and before that a Co-operative Travel.

Planning documents submitted to Craven District Council said Skipton Sound Bar has seen “a growth in demand” since opening in 2014 and needs a larger premises to “accommodate the increase in popularity”.

The documents added: “The extent of fit out will be typical of a music/bar venue and will follow the current format of the existing sound bar on Swadford Street with areas to accommodate customer seating, bar, event stage and retail zone.

“There will also be back of house facilities, including storage/staff zones and customer toilets.”

Ponden Home opened in December 2015 in a move which brought six new jobs to Skipton but the firm, along with its sister businesses Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Bonmarché, fell into administration last year after a collapse in sales due to the Covid pandemic.

The businesses were bought by investors in a rescue deal but as many as 260 stores across the UK have still been threatened with permanent closure.