A NEW bar in Bradford's expanding Independent Quarter will help counter the decline of that area as a shopping destination, according to planners.

Matthew Withers has been granted planning permission to convert a vacant shop in North Parade, which was until recently The Latvian Food Store, into a bar.

It will be the latest in a long line of bars to open on the street in the past two years, and planning officers admit that the area has a "limited" appeal to shoppers.

Despite this, the increase in bars and cafes led to North Parade reaching the final of the Great British High Street awards last year.

The planning officer's report said: "Currently within this row of properties there are vacant units and many other office units.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

"The attractiveness of this section of North Parade as a shopping street is currently very limited, and the introduction of a use of the type proposed here has the potential to attract other businesses to this area and increase footfall and with it vitality throughout the working week and weekends.

"There are many empty units in the wider area as a result of changes to the retail area resulting from the opening of the town centre shopping centre.

"There is a presumption in favour of leisure and entertainment uses within city centres."

It is expected that the new bar, next to The Sparrow Bier Cafe, will create three full time and three part time jobs.