A property development company which owns the Thomas Farley pub has put in an application to convert the former Barclay’s Bank in to five studios.

The council received the application for ‘alterations’ for use of the first floor of the two storey bank as five one bedroom studios on December 2 but it was only validated on April 3.

The change of use application from office to residential is under permitted development rights and was submitted by Danish Hanif, of Golfrate Property Management Limited.

Golfrate Property, owned by the Aziz family controls more than £2.5bn of real estate including large portions of the West End as well as lots of empty pubs.

The freehold for 1 Brigstock Road was brought in May 2015 by Fort Properties which paid £48,085,000 (million) for it.
Iconic Properties Ltd, which is the company which owns the freehold for The Thomas Farley is also incorporated in the Isle of Man. Work has been going on behind the bank’s window blinds for sometime since it closed in 2017.

The lower ground floor which contained the cash desks will remain unchanged. The proposal is car free with cycling provision.

The Farley has also been redeveloped in to flats. All that is left of the original pub is the bar area which remains empty.