A HAIR salon has revealed plans to create a new tea room in Horwich.

Masquerade in Scholes Bank has submitted plans to Bolton Council to change part of the ground floor salon into a tea room.

According to a statement with the application, the new business would seat approximately 20 customers.

It said: “Since undertaking the expansion of the Salon — to provide a colour bar — the applicant’s business has seen a significant change resulting from a change in staffing/personnel.

“The intended purpose of including this Tea Room facility is to promote a diversification of the business by attracting an additional and alternative clientele as well as providing an alternative and supplementary income stream.”

The salon currently takes up both numbers two and four on Scholes Bank with part of it used as a home.

As part of the plans, the ground floor of number four would be changed from a residential use premises to a hair salon.

This is to accommodate for the part of the hair salon that would be lost for the tea room in the ground floor of number two.

The planning statement continued: “The premises are located close to key arterial routes and within the built-up area of Horwich where there are a large number of existing commercial uses, including the established hair salon.

“It is considered that the additional use of the premises as a tea room would help to bring about an additional level of activity and potentially improve the vitality of both the existing business and this part of Horwich town centre. “

The plans were discussed by members of Horwich Town Council at Thursday’s planning committee, which recommended the proposal for approval.

Cllr Steve Chadwick said: “It is a very good local business that is hoping to expand.

“We should be supporting local businesses.”

Cllr Ian Carruthers said he did have some concerns about parking issues around the area.

He said: “If they are going to set up a tea room, will that attract more people and cause more parking problems?

“There are a lot of double yellow lines around there.”