Juice bar and café plan submitted for former Stornoway church hall

A former church hall in the centre of Stornoway could soon be home to a new juice bar and café under plans submitted to Western Isles Council.

The proposed development at 30 Church Street involves a change of use for the former Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall.

If approved, the upper floor of the building would become a modern café.

Drinks at juice bar won’t be found anywhere else in Stornoway

Stornoway local Joanna Morrison is leading the initiative, with designs submitted by David Macphail of DBM Design.

The vision for the space includes a juice bar offering a wide range of drink options not typically found in other cafés or bakeries in the town.

It lies just a short walk from the cruise ship passenger coach terminal – a top spot to attract both locals and visiting tourists.

The developers believe the prime location could help drive footfall and bring cash into the town centre.

In planning documents, the applicant highlights the opportunity to create a distinctive business they hope will boost the growing independent scene in Stornoway.

The building itself, which is currently unused, would be revitalised through the investment.

Members of the public have until Monday June 2 to comment on the application.

Feedback will be considered before a final decision is made by Western Isles Council.

To read more about this application, you can find it here.

Planning applications received by Western Isles Council

• Change of use of a storage shed and ancillary residential cabin to create two holiday accommodation units on Barra.
• Alterations and extensions to a dwelling house at Ness on the Isle of Lewis.
• An application has been lodged to erect a house at Upper Shader, Lewis, with a detached garage, install an air source heat pump system and vehicular access.
• Plans for a house at Point, include parking and ancillary curtilage.
• Alter and extend the house to the side and rear at Swordale, Point.
• Holiday accommodation at Valtos, Uig, Isle of Lewis includes a change of use from outbuilding to holiday-let unit.
• Plans have been lodged for a change of use at Upper Coll Back, on the Isle of Lewis, to allow for a childminding business to operate from the house with places for up to 12 children.

Planning applications

• Rowan Tree Cottage at Locheport in North Uist has been granted permission to add a porch to the east facade, extend the kitchen/dining space to the south and create of two additional bedrooms to the west facade.
• At Riverhill, Laxay, at Lochs on Lewis, owners have been given permission to erect a house, form an access and parking area and install an Air Source Heat Pump and roof-mounted solar panel.
• Permission was refused for a telecommunication tower at Morsgail, Uig, Isle of Lewis.
• A Scottish Water access track was refused at Miavaig, Uig.
• Campsite expansion and alterations were approved at 77 Lower Borve, Isle of Barra.
• A new campsite has been approved at Clachan Sands, North Uist, with 25 pitches for motorhomes and a facilities building.
• Onshore transmission works for the Spiorad Na Mara Offshore Wind Farm have been approved. They include electricity cables, electricity substations and infrastructure together with parking, a cycle/multi-use pathway, peatland management access tracks and road alterations.
• A campsite at Lochmaddy on the Isle of North Uist, including a facilities block and an increase in capacity to seven serviced motorhome space, was approved.
• Aignish Swordale Knock Community Association Hall at Knock on Lewis has been given permission to develop a skatepark.

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