Nail bar applies for Barclays building planning, six months after opening!

The saying goes ‘better late than never’ but one Welshpool business is testing that out by asking for planning permission six months after first opening its doors!

Lux Nails has been operating out of the former Barclays building on Broad Street since the spring, but they have only now submitted an application for ‘change of use’ to the premises.

Papers logged with Powys County Council show that ‘retrospective change of use of former Barclays Bank unit to a Nail Bar and Spa’ has been submitted and will be first discussed by Welshpool Town Council as a consultee on November 4.

Companies House shows that the business is registered as “hairdressing and other beauty treatment” but seems to operate currently as a nail bar only.

While this may seem like a strange situation, it is not unusual in the Powys planning world.

One commentator familiar with the planning process told us: “This does happen from time to time here in Powys as the owner may not have realised the need to change use. Banks are different to shops and may have needed that pointing out.”

The former Barclays Bank was left derelict after closing its doors in September 2022, so the sight of a new business investing in the building was warmly welcomed back in April.

Lux Nails’ director, Anh Ngoc Thi Nguyen, has also opened a similar business down the road this summer on High Street, Newtown.