Former town centre bar to become shops and HMO

A former bar in Mansfield town centre will be turned into shops and a house in multiple occupation (HMO).

Cohen's Corner, in Church Street, closed at least two years ago and was put up for auction in August 2025.

In January, developers submitted plans to convert the property by splitting the ground floor into two smaller commercial units and turning the upstairs into a six-bedroom HMO. It has now been approved by Mansfield District Council.

Also part of the plan is the demolition of part of the rear of the building to create a courtyard, and the building of a two-storey extension.

The council has also approved two other HMOs in Princes Street and Gladstone Street in recent weeks, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

A perceived increase in the number of them in Mansfield led to local MP Steve Yemm raising the issue in Parliament in November, saying that residents on roads with HMOs on were experiencing a "growing feeling that they have lost their say on what happens on their own street".

More recently, a group of Mansfield district councillors from various parties has been meeting to discuss whether there are too many HMOs in the area and whether the council should use legal measures to restrict their prevalence.

Listen to BBC Radio Nottingham on Sounds and follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.