Plans revealed for former Bob & Berts on Fishergate after shock closure 9 months ago

New plans have been submitted for the former Bob & Berts on Fishergate.

The coffee and breakfast spot first opened in Preston in November 2021 but four years later, in November 2025, it closed its doors permanently, without notice to customers.

The site, located at 82 Fishergate, had been vacant for six years before Bob & Berts took over and has remained vacant since the chain closed.

At last it looks like the unit, part of a larger 1980s brick built commercial building, could be getting a new lease of life.

Late last month, Preston City Council received a planning application to change the use of the ground floor from a café/restaurant ((Class E(b)) to an adult gaming centre (AGC) (sui generis).

The application was submitted on behalf of Luxury Leisure (part of the Novomatic Group), who operate over 300 Admiral gaming venues in the UK, and employ over 3000 staff.

Plan drawings show that the existing seating and the serving area on the ground floor will all be removed to create one large ‘gaming area’ with a manager’s office to the back right.

The existing kitchen area will then become a staffroom and store whilst the lobby and accessible toilet will remain in the same place.

None of the plan documents elaborate on what the gaming area will consist of but generally, an AGC is an adult-only arcade focused on electronic slot and fruit machines.

This contrasts to a bookies, such as the nearby Paddy Power, which are betting shops primarily used to place wagers.

The games centre is proposed to be open 24 hours, seven days a week, and have 12 full time staff members.

In the cover letter, the agent, RR Planning, explains that as the property is currently vacant, there is no loss of retail shop use, whilst there are also no other adult gaming centres on the street meaning "there is no concentration of such uses in the area".

The agent assures that, as an AGC legally excludes under 18’s, “there will be no noisy amusement arcade equipment...to attract passing custom of all ages” whilst there will be no “inherently noisy activity... in relation to the comings and goings of customers”.

The agent adds that “there is no evidence of any anti-social behaviour being exacerbated by such use”, “the proposed 24-hour use will ensure footfall to the town centre” and AGCs “rely on pedestrian flows... and contribute as a complementary use to the overall attraction of town centres to the shopping public.”

RR Planning then summarised: “AGC’s are established bona fide town centre uses which add to the diversity and choice of uses in town centre locations and which have no harmful impact on retailing activity. The reuse of the property together with investment in the property at a time when town centres are in decline ought to be supported.”

Further in support of the application, the cover letter confirms that no alcohol will be served on the premises, no one under the influence will be allowed to enter, a strict Think 25 policy will be operated and a minimum of two members of staff will always be on duty.

There will also be a defibrillator on site, extensive CCTV and a 21 strong security and compliance team, which includes ex members of Met Police and Military Police.

Additionally, the AGC will operate as part of the WalkSafe personal safety network, a widely used personal safety app which enables individuals to share live journeys with trusted contacts, raise emergency alerts, and identify accredited, staffed “safe spaces” when travelling.

The agent explains: “As a WalkSafe partner venue, the premises is visible within this network as a place where members of the public can seek assistance or temporary refuge, thereby helping to deter antisocial behaviour, reduce vulnerability, and support safer movement within the surrounding area. The proposed 24-hour use of the site would therefore deliver demonstrable benefits in terms of crime prevention, public health resilience, and community safety, supporting both local and national objectives relating to the safe management of the night-time economy.”

The application documents reiterate that no external alterations are proposed and that the change of use is only for the ground floor.

Applications for any shopfront alterations and advertisement consent will be submitted separately.

Work has also not yet begun on the proposal.

You can read the full application, and comment on the proposal, here.

If you wish to make comments, you should do so by 23-Aug-2026 quoting ref: 06/2026/0667.

You can comment online; by e-mail to [email protected] or in writing to Development & Housing Directorate, Preston City Council, Town Hall, Lancaster Road, Preston PR1 2RL.

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