A FAMILY newsagents which has been providing services for more than 30 years could be set to close.

Planners have received an application from Y&S Newsagents, in St Helens Road, which, if approved, would allow the building’s owners to transform the site into a restaurant.

A statement submitted alongside the application points to falling sales of printed publications and tobacco products, meaning the business is no longer “commercially viable” as a newsagents.

It also highlighted the growth of “national retail operators” which have been set up nearby in recent years.

The building used to be two separate units but was converted into a single shop several years ago, it has since been expanded with a two-storey extension behind the shop.

The ground floor of this extension houses a store room for the newsagents and the upper rooms are configured as a flat, although they are currently unoccupied.

Explaining the proposals, the statement adds: “The proposals would see the rear service door replaced by a single pedestrian door and the internal ground floor layout reconfigured.

“The current larger store room would be used as the kitchen area of the restaurant and the current retail sales area would become a seating area.

“The change in existing ground levels would define the boundary between the private and public areas.”

These plans also include the installation of a public disabled toilet inside the restaurant although there would be relatively little change to the front of the property apart from new signs.

A representative from the newsagents stressed that the plans were in their very early stages and that no final decision on the property had been made.

Approval of the planning submission does not mean the newsagents will immediately change into a restaurant, but it would give the owners the option of changing the use of the property.

Bolton Council has delegated the decision to planning officers and a final call on the application is expected to be made by early July.

Anyone wishing to view the plans can find a copy available through the council’s planning portal at: www.planningpa.bolton.gov.uk by searching for reference number 06119/19.