Yorkshire seaside town cafe’s plan for hotel approved

Hopes and Beans in Whitby has applied to turn existing holiday let apartments into five hotel rooms as part of a plan to refurbish its town centre site.

The ground and part first floors are in use as a cafe and a new scheme would see the sympathetic restoration of the existing building at 2, St Ann’s Staith, near the town’s iconic swing bridge, and would include the reconfiguration of the holiday apartments into hotel accommodation.

The hotel rooms would be accessed and serviced via a ground floor reception café and bar.

Current accommodation on the first floor was converted into holiday let use in 2023, and last year the applicant’s plans for a seven-room hotel were approved.

North Yorkshire Council’s environmental protection team has not raised objections but did recommend conditions limiting construction hours if the scheme is approved.

The site comprises a pair of buildings located at 2, St Ann’s Staith and floors above number 3, St Ann’s Staith. The buildings have undergone extensive alterations over the years, some of which are being reversed by the current owner as part of a sympathetic restoration, according to plans.

St Ann Staith, Whitby. Applicant

The existing first floor accommodation would be reconfigured as two hotel bedrooms, operated by and accessed through the ground floor reception café, while the second floor accommodation would be reconfigured as three hotel bedrooms.

Access to the second floor accommodation will be improved and will be more direct with a new staircase.

“Currently the second floor is accessed by circulating through the first floor former cafe seating area to an unprotected staircase,” according to a submitted design statement.

The neighbouring building is the Grade-II Listed Custom House at No. 1 St Ann’s Staith.

The applicant said: “The proposed sympathetic works to the facade of number 3 St Ann’s Staith will improve both the building itself together with having a positive impact upon the terrace of neighbouring buildings and the wider Whitby Conservation Area.”

The planning authority has not set a date for deciding on the application which is currently open to representations from members of the public.