City of Wolverhampton Council has submitted a planning application for a new multi million pound food, entertainment and events venue in the west of Wolverhampton city centre.

The proposals follow the demolition of derelict shops at 1-7a Cleveland Street in 2023 and design work for the venue, which will attract tens of thousands of visitors to the city centre every year. 

It will be constructed on the cleared site and car park sitting between Cleveland Street and Bell Street and land from the proposed demolition of the vacant Neville Garratt Centre.

The working title for the venue is Bell Works, which provides a nod to the Victorian ironmonger and manufacturer that existed in this area of the city centre in Wolverhampton’s industrial past.

The development will also provide new and improved public car parking, with the entertainment venue offering individual food and drink vendors an exciting and different trading opportunity, under one roof, in the city. 

Funded through a combination of the Government's Future High Streets Fund and council investment, the venue will be the next phase of a £22million package of investment in the west of the city centre and follows extensive public realm improvement works to the Victoria Street and North Street areas.

It will also support the new look Halls Wolverhampton in developing a burgeoning evening economy that will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city centre each year and boost the local economy by millions of pounds annually.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Visitor City, said: “The submission of the planning application is a major milestone in bringing forward an exciting new development that everyone can enjoy.

“Subject to approval, we will deliver a modern food, beverage and entertainment city centre facility that will boost footfall and create invaluable employment and business opportunities.

“These type of spaces are hugely popular in other areas of the country such as Newcastle, London and Sheffield and will be a superb addition complementing Wolverhampton’s existing leisure, events and evening economy.”