Cleo’s Bar in Sunderland: Karaoke and disco venue to open in former Park Lane Coral branch

The new venue is set to open in Park Lane after a planning application for a business unit was received by Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application in 2022.

This included a change of use from a bookmakers to a bar with outside seating and barriers.

The unit, which sits in the St Michael’s ward, was last occupied by a Coral betting shop with new plans aiming to bring the site back into use once again.

According to an application submitted to local authority officials, the plans were partly-retrospective as work started on the building in August, 2022.

Works included a new frontage and signs naming the site as ‘Cleo’s Bar’ offering both a disco and karaoke.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on January 6, 2023.

Proposed floor plans show how the new use will operate, with a public area, bar, DJ stand, staff area and disabled toilet on the ground floor and toilets and a ‘retail area’ on the first floor.

Plans also show an outside seating area with space for around eight tables surrounded by roped barriers with aluminum posts.

Applicants have confirmed that the tables, seats and barriers would be removed when the business is closed to the public.

During council consultation on the plans, several council departments made comments including the local authority’s environmental health team.

Environmental health officers said “no amplified entertainment” should be installed to service the external seating area, as well as a condition limiting the hours of use of this area.

Elsewhere, the council’s planning policy team said the bar conversion would support council policies focusing on “main town centre uses”.

It was noted that the site sits in an area where the council aims to “support the diversification of licensed premises within the city centre to create an evening economy for all groups”.

For more information on the planning application and council approval, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/02111/FUL