Bar and grill could open in former bargains shop opposite Doncaster Mansion House in the spring

Eric Goodwin, who already runs the Courtyard pub in the town centre, is hoping to be in a position to start trading in April at the building on the corner of Scot Lane and High Street, which was once a branch of Yorkshire Bank.

More recently, it has been used as a Bargain World store.

He is hoping that lockdown will have been eased enough by that point for the venue to start trading at the venue which will be called The Bank.

There would be flats upstairs in the landmark Edwardian building, opposite the borough’s iconic Mansion House, which dates back to the 1700s and until recently was where Doncaster held its council meetings.

The downstairs area of the venue would be run as a bar and grill.

Mr Goodwin, who was born and brought up in Doncaster, said he plans to use local suppliers at the venue.

He said: “With The Bank, I’m hoping to be ready to go in April, when I hope restaurants will be allowed to open again.

"As far as The Bank is concerned, I’m looking at using Slacks, from Wadworth, for the meat, and getting the vegetables, and the fish, from Doncaster Market.

"I want to get our tonic water from Yorkshire, and I’m going to speak to Doncaster Brewery in the town centre about stocking their drinks.”

Mr Goodwin said he has been involved in Doncaster’s pub trade for more than 10 years.

He already has The Courtyard pub in the town centre, and had recently taken over at The Woolpack, which he also plans to re-open later this year after a major refurbishment.

Although helped by Eat Out to Help Out last summer, pubs and restaurants have not been able to open in Doncaster since November when the Government imposed its second lockdown. When that was lifted, the borough was placed in tier three restrictions from December 2, and has been in lockdown since early January. But infection levels are now falling and over 70,000 have had Covid vaccines in Doncaster.

Some have kept an income stream by running deliveries of takeaway food from their premises.

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